A Lion of a Man
by SimbaFan
Summary: Sequel to "The Pride of Man" Ayden, the almost 20-year-old boy, and Simba are now kings of the Pride Lands. When Zira is banished to the Outlands, it sets off a chain of events that will forever change the history of the Pride Lands. REVIEW!
1. Paradise

**Hello again my readers! Well, the wait is FINALLY over! My sequel to "The Pride of Man" is FINALLY here! **

**_IMPORTANT!!!!_**

**If you have not read "Pride of Man", then this story won't make much sense...so here is a link to the story. **

**(you just have to add fan fiction to the beginning of the link)**

**.net/s/4536796/1/The_Pride_of_Man**

**_When you're done, THEN come back to read this one!_**

**Ok, the synopsis area for the story doesn't give enough room for a FULL synopsis of the story, so HERE it is!**

**_Ayden, the 17-year-old boy who lost his family in a tragic safari accident and was taken in by Mufasa and Sarabi, has come a long way from those days. Almost 20-years-old now, Ayden is the second king of the Pride Lands, along with Simba, mate of Nala, and father of Tanabi and Kiara. With Scar's downfall and Simba's and Ayden's ascent into the kingship, the Pride Lands are returned to their former glory. But all is not well. Zira, Scar's mate, is out for revenge for his death. When she is banished to the Outlands, along with almost half the Pride that follows her, it sets in motion a chain of events that will result in a grand climax over who gains control over the Pride Lands. Also, a shocking twist will occur that will forever change Ayden's life. As this occurs, a strange visitor comes to the Pride Lands seeking one called Sarabi. His appearance in the lands will change the Pride Lands for good. In this exciting sequel to "The Pride of Man", we'll go through trials and errors of Ayden's kingship and find out just what makes a lion of a man._**

**Whew! That was a long synopsis, but now you have a good concept of what's to come!**

**Copyright time!**

**This story is based off of three stories.**

**First and foremost, it is based off of Disney's _The Lion King_. All cannon characters are property of the Walt Disney Company.**

**Second, it is based off of Amase's two stories, _The White Water Chronicles _and _The Diamond Star Chronicles (The Diamond Star Chronicles _is based on Disney's _The Lion King - Simba's Pride_). Without these two stories, i would have never had the inspiration to write my own! All the following characters are HERS and permission must be asked before using ANY of them.**

_**Kamau**_

_**Yetunde**_

_**Ayana**_

_**Yejide**_

_**Kala**_

_**Kito**_

_**Taalib**_

_**Sekou**_

_**Tanabi**_

**_The Pride of Man _and _A Lion of a Man_ are my own stories, and i must insist that you ask my permission before using any of my characters or parts of my story.**

_**Ayden**_

**I would like to take a moment to let my readers know that i have not written these stories alone. Ever since the last 4 chapters of _The Pride of Man_, i have been consulting someone and discussing future ideas for all of my "Pride" stories with him. His name is Dan, a.k.a. "Tonyboy" here on fan fiction. He and his sister, Cathy, have been beta-readers for me, editing the final chapters for my previous story and the future chapters for not only THIS story, but the sequel to follow it (yes, there will be ONE MORE "Pride" story). Dan has also given me COUNTLESS ideas for what i could do in my future chapters and given feedback on my own. I want to thank both Dan and Cathy for doing this for me.**

**If anybody has questions that are not answered in the author notes, ASK ME IN A PRIVATE MESSAGE or if you are an annonymous reader, E-mail me! Just go to my profile here on fan fiction, click E-mail and follow the instructions to reveal my e-mail address. I WILL NOT RESPOND TO QUESTIONS ASKED IN REVIEWS.**

**HOWEVER...**

**I will not give away any of the plot, so do not even bother asking. Only my beta-readers know what will happen.**

**ALSO...**

**Today, December 3, 2008, is Dan's birthday. So in honor of his birthday (and i've been considering doing this for a while now)**

**1.) I am posting the story earlier than i planned.**

**2.) (Here's the birthday present i mentioned Dan, lol) His name will be attatched to all three of my "Pride" stories. He has played such an important role in their development, and without him, i would be stuck in writer's block. I see no better way to thank and honor him and his efforts than to make him a permanent part of the stories that he has helped to create. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAN!!!!**

**Cathy's (Dan's sister) name will also be attatched to the story as well! Thanks a bunch for your help Cathy!**

**Ok...i think i've talked enough now. TIME TO READ!!!! lol, Enjoy guys!**

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**A Lion of a Man**

**Written By Johnny a.k.a. "Simbafan"**

**Co-Written and Edited by Dan a.k.a. "Tonyboy" and his sister, Cathy**

**Chapter 1 – Paradise**

My eyes sprang open as I was abruptly awoken. Several birds had chirped loudly outside and the sound echoed into the cave where I was sleeping. I blinked as my eyes began to feel heavy from their abrupt opening. For a moment, I thought that my eyes were still shut, because a blanket of darkness hovered over me. I reached up to my face and rubbed them. My hand brushed the scar that stretched down my face.

I sat up blinking and stared around. Starlight shone through the crevice in the ceiling of the den. The Kings of the Past illuminated the cave just enough for me to make out the shapes in the den.

To my right lay Simba and Nala, breathing silently as they slept. Between them lay a little ball of fur. The ball expanded and contracted slowly as it breathed in and out. I smiled.

This small cub's name was Tanabi. He was four-months-old, and (for the time being) the only cub of Simba's and Nala's. Nala was pregnant again, and was due to give birth any day now.

Tanabi greatly resembled what his father had looked like as a cub, except for one small difference. On his head were the beginnings of an auburn tuft, the very same of which had begun to show on Kovu's head.

I looked around at the dark figures that lay all over the floor around the four of us. My sleeping pride barely stirred. Apparently, the loud chirp had awoken only me.

Stretching, I slipped out of my tattered sleeping bag and stood up, careful to do so quietly. I stepped off our throne where the royalty slept, and began to weave my way through the lionesses. I reached the back of the cave where another, much smaller shape sat illuminated in the starlight.

I reached down and picked up the very tattered backpack. I smiled, feeling very grateful that through all of the horrors and destruction of the last couple years, my possessions still remained intact.

I slipped my arms into the straps and slung the pack over my shoulder. Yawning, I wandered through the sleeping lionesses until I reached the point where the cave rounded a corner and out into the Pride Lands. I glanced back to see if I had woken anybody and stopped.

A pair of ruby eyes flared out of the darkness just to the left of Nala. They were staring right into mine.

I smiled and waved.

"Good morning, Sarabi," I mouthed silently.

She blinked in response. Smiling, I turned and left the cave.

The evening sky was a deep blue and shone with the light of countless stars. It was as though somebody had taken an entire jar of silver glitter and tossed it up into the sky. The moon shone in the western portion, like a beacon, casting a faint blue-white light across the Pride Lands. I stopped and stared around.

The Pride Lands had never looked more lush and alive. Though it had been just about nine months since Simba and I had taken control of the barren wasteland, they were already thriving with growth.

That fateful night, when we regained control, had brought a downpour so grand that it soaked the lands for several days even after the rain ceased falling.

Much of the land had been charred and burned by the fires that were caused that night. To me, though, it seemed to be a good thing. The fires and the rain had cleared out all of the devastation and despair; it was as if the land had been wiped clean so that it could restart its life anew.

I breathed in deeply and set off down the slope, towards the north. Only a week previously had I discovered that my stream where I used to perform my morning routine had finally been restored to its former glory. I had not been able to bathe in over two years. So when I discovered the stream, I rushed over to cleanse myself. The feeling of finally being clean after years of filthiness was absolute bliss. I washed every one of my clothes in the stream as well. They were all tattered and ripped, but still wearable.

After about fifteen minutes of walking, I reached the stream. I set my backpack down in the grass near the stream and slipped out of my clothes. I walked to the edge of the stream and prepared to jump in. As I crouched to leap in, I caught my reflection staring up at me through the glassy surface of the water. I stopped suddenly and stared intently at the surface.

It had been several years since I had gazed upon my own face. All of the baby fat had finally disappeared, and my features had become chiseled and sharp. The scar that Zira had bestowed upon me several months before stretched across my face, however it did not inhibit its handsomeness. My auburn hair fell lazily into my eyes as well as down the back of my neck and over my upper back. Above my upper lip and over my chin and cheeks was a dark shadow of uneven stubble.

This almost 20-year-old, handsome young man staring back up at me seemed so familiar, and yet he was so strange. I reached up and touched my face with trembling fingers, as if unsure if what I was seeing was real.

I turned back to my backpack and unzipped it. Rummaging through it, I felt something very sharp and I smiled. Grasping the object, I retracted my hand from the pack. In my hand, I held the tool that I had considered to be the most useful and valuable in my possession; my knife.

I walked back to the bank and kneeled down, staring down into the surface of the water. I ran my hand over my chin for a moment. Then I looked down at the knife, running a finger down the edge. Though the knife appeared very smooth, it had small grooves in the edge that made the knife very rough. I glanced down into the water and spotted a very smooth stone in a shallow area. I plunged my hand in and pulled out the stone. I held it in my hand for a moment, making sure the stone was smooth. When I was convinced of its smoothness, I brought the stone to the knife's edge and began to run up and down the length of the blade.

For a while I did this. The last thing I needed was a self-inflicted wound due to carelessness with the blade. I occasionally plunged the blade into the water to wash off the excess dust and metal that was scraped from either the rock or the blade. Finally, I stopped sharpening and ran my finger down the blade once more. It was as smooth as the day that I had bought it so many years ago.

I doused my face with water and stared into the surface of the stream. Grasping tightly to the knife, I raised it up to my right cheek. Having never shaved before in my life, a twinge of worry came to me. Sighing and rolling my eyes, I ran the knife down my cheek to the bottom of my chin.

There was no pain. Instead, I felt a strange sensation as the hair was scraped off of my face. Again, I put the blade to my face and brought it cleanly down. There was the sensation again, and again, no pain. I looked at my cheek in my reflection and saw that the hair was gone, leaving a smooth and shaven patch. Smiling, I washed the hair off of the knife and went to work on the rest of my face. Within minutes, it was fully shaven and smooth.

Next to do was my hair. I liked having long hair, but past my neck was too long. I grabbed a large handful from the back of my head and held it out. Looking at my reflection, I raised the knife to the handful, trying to determine where to cut. When I found the length I was happy with, I sawed through the hair. Then, again, I grabbed another handful and repeated the process.

Cutting my hair was a longer process than shaving my face. I wanted to make sure it looked decent, not hack-and-slash. After about ten minutes, my hair resembled what I remembered it to be. It fell over my forehead and cut off just over my eyebrows. Down the back, it extended to the base of my neck. I examined myself in the water, ensuring I had the look I wanted.

Satisfied, I stood up and backed up several feet. Then, sprinting forward, I leapt into the water.

For a while, I swam around simply enjoying myself. Over two years of no fun can take a toll on a young man's life, and he should be allowed to have a few entertaining moments every now and then.

After rubbing my scalp clean under the surface, I swam to the bank and tread water for a while, losing myself in thought.

The last nine months had been difficult, but compared to the years before, they were less stressful to a grand degree. Without the fear of being killed, starved, tortured, or worse each day, everybody seemed much more relaxed. With Simba and I as the Kings, the Pride Lands began to be restored to their former glory.

Several weeks after our coronation, Nala announced that she was to give birth to an heir. Simba had been surprised, but his reaction was nothing compared to those of a lot of the pride. Many of the lionesses felt that Simba had been too hasty with Nala, and they even fathomed the idea that he had raped her.

It took quite a while for both Simba and Nala to convince them otherwise, though several lionesses were still not entirely convinced. As far as they were concerned, Simba was too young to be a king or a father.

Within four months of Nala's pregnancy, Tanabi was born. Simba was the happiest I had ever seen him on that day. Tanabi was presented to all of the Pride Lands, though there was not a great amount of subjects at that time to see the ritual. All the herds were either on their way back or had yet to hear the news of the downfall of Scar.

The five months that followed consisted of a great amount of babysitting. Tanabi grew at an amazing rate. Since I had met Simba when he was about eight-months-old, I had never seen how a lion cub really grew from a baby into a cub. It was a fun, but tiring process, taking care of Tanabi. Sometimes Timon and Pumbaa would watch him with me, which would have been helpful if they did not go off quarrelling about what kind of bugs were better to eat. Yuck.

Within a month of Tanabi's birth, Nala announced that she was pregnant again. It blew my mind that Simba and Nala, the young kid-like cubs I had known so long ago were now parents.

As second King, it was my responsibility to run the kingdom alongside Simba. However, whenever Simba was busy with his son or tending to Nala, I was left to run the kingdom by myself. From what I could see, I was liked and respected as a King. I seemed to be making the right choices, whether it was settling a dispute between herds, granting permission for trivial requests, taking note of which herds were entering the Pride Lands (which became more and more with the passing months), or simply just being fair to the subjects.

Simba was not as respected however. One could argue that he didn't have much experience at leading, but neither did I and I seemed to be doing just fine. So was Simba, from my point of view. I suppose the lionesses respected me more because they watched me struggle with them during the times of hardship, and that somehow meant that I had earned the kingship. To them, Simba had just shown up out of nowhere and taken the throne without as much as a struggle.

Zira seemed to be the source of all of the distrust. Though I had told Simba of her allegiance to Scar and of her acts of hatred, Zira was still allowed to stay in the Pride. She was one of the few lionesses who had enough strength after our coronation to help care for the Pride, however reluctant she seemed. She still complied. Being completely alone in her struggle, she could not form a resistance and reclaim what she believed to be hers.

Now, however, I had begun to worry. Zira had banded together a small group of followers from our own Pride, and had succeeded in convincing them to distrust Simba, Nala, and myself. With such loyal followers at her side, I worried that a rebellion would be imminent.

As troubling as the prospect of a resistance was, there was yet another thing that I was constantly worried about.

Sarabi's cub had been born on the day that I was exiled during Scar's rule. She and I had spoken about her cub in private, just days after I became King. She told me only after I had sworn that I would never, under any circumstance, reveal her pregnancy to any of the Pride members, _especially_ Simba.

Sarabi had cared for the male cub, which she had named Kamau, for three days in absolute secrecy. When the time came, she knew that she could not keep Kamau with her, or Scar would either take the cub for his own or kill him. So Sarabi sent Kamau away with Yetunde, a lioness who had decided to run away. To this day, Yetunde and Kamau had not returned to the Pride Lands.

I was constantly worried that Kamau would return. I was completely unsure of how Simba would react if he learned of Kamau's true identity. Simba despised Scar with a passion I had never seen in him before. He was able to forgive Zira because she had not done any wrong to him, despite my own warnings about her intentions. But Scar was a downright evil monster as far as Simba was concerned, and I shared his sentiments. How he would react to Scar's offspring with his own mother was a complete mystery to me, and I feared the day that Simba would find out.

The sky was slowly changing from dark blue to deep lavender. Over to the east, a pink hue slowly snuck up from behind a range of mountains. Above, the glittering stars in the sky began to fade.

Suddenly, I heard something rustle behind me. I twisted around in the water and grabbed my knife from the edge of the bank. I stared into the patch of grass where I had heard movement.

"Show yourself," I commanded.

Nothing stirred. My heart rate was slowly climbing. I was in no mood right now to deal with trouble.

"I said show yourself," I said in a firmer tone.

"Lower your knife, and I'll come out."

The tension I felt relaxed as I recognized Simba's voice. I put my knife back on the ground and looked up as Simba emerged from the grass.

Powerfully built, Simba was growing into a strong young lion. Still nowhere near as powerful as his father was, Simba had his own distinct features. His auburn mane was less neat than Mufasa's was. It fell lazily into his eyes, which were a piercing and fiery ruby color, just like his mother's. Other than the fact that he was growing more muscle, Simba looked exactly the same as he did nine months ago when I found him again and helped him defeat Scar.

"You're always so jumpy." He chuckled as he sat down on the bank next to me.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "You would be too if you went through what I have."

"True." He said simply. "What happened to your face? And your hair…"

"I shaved my face." I said matter-of-factly. "And I cut my hair."

Simba's brow furrowed. "Why? You looked fine before."

I rolled my eyes. "It's just another human thing. Human men generally don't have long hair, and they try to keep their face cleanly shaven."

Simba smiled and rolled his eyes. "For the life of me, I'll never fully understand your species. My mane is what makes me distinct from the females of the pride."

I laughed. "Funny, because the same is true…for the females in my species!"

Dumbstruck, Simba quickly recovered and swiped at me. I ducked, and we both laughed together for a long time.

Smiling, I looked away at the horizon, falling back into my thoughts. He stared at me for a moment, scanning my face.

"What's up?" he asked me concernedly.

"Nothing," I answered hastily. Simba gave me an incredulous look.

"Come on Ayden, you look upset," he accused. "I can see it in your eyes. Something's wrong."

I sighed. I couldn't tell him everything that was bugging me, so I settled on another subject.

"It's just Zira," I replied. "Well, not just her, but it's her fault that I feel this way."

Simba sighed. "I know what you mean. You're talking about that group of lionesses she's got following her. The ones who think we're not proper leaders."

I nodded. "I'm worried that there's going to be a rebellion. _Soon._"

Simba stared out at the pink hue that was slowly getting bigger over the mountain range. "I hope it doesn't come to that."

"I hope so too," I agreed, looking out at the sunrise.

The orange sun peeked over the mountains, casting a temporarily blinding light over us. The sky around the sun had turned a bright red while the lavender sky above us was easing into a light shade of blue. What few clouds that hung overhead were bathed in a pink light from the sun, and they seemed to glow like neon.

"You know, I don't think I'll ever get tired of how beautiful this place is." I said happily.

Simba and I watched the sun until it was fully risen over the mountains. Feeling I had bathed long enough, I slipped out of the water and used my old clothes to dry off. Then I pulled on a fresher pair from my pack and quickly washed my old pair in the stream. Simba watched quietly from where he sat.

When I finished, I stood up and slipped the backpack over my shoulders. I closed my eyes and breathed in the fresh morning air. I breathed out and smiled at Simba.

Feeling rejuvenated, I said, "Just another day in paradise."

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**For now...**

**BWAHAHAHAHA...lol**

**ONE THING...IF you have questions, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE...**

**1.) Do not tell me "please respond"...I WILL answer your questions...you don't need to tell me to answer them because i will always answer them.**

**2.) DO NOT ASK ME IN A REVIEW. Private message me with your question!!!! I'll be MORE THAN happy to answer it for you then. If you ask me in a review, i will not respond. **

**REVIEW please! PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE!!!!! I love getting ouside feedback of the story!**


	2. Complications

**Okeydoke...i've had this sitting in my document manager since i first posted the story, but i didn't want to update until i have fully written chapter 3. Now that Dan has chapter 3, we can continue with the story!**

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Chapter 2 – Complications

Together, we walked back to Pride Rock. The matters of the kingdom became our topic of conversation as we did.

"Zazu estimates that another herd of elephants will arrive late this afternoon." Simba informed me.

"Another herd to keep track of?" I asked, rolling my eyes. "That's the fifteenth one this week! I've got a hard enough time keeping track of the herds we already have!"

"I guess everybody just heard the news at the same time…" Simba offered.

"Yeah," I said in agreement. "I just have to say I'll be glad when they all return. All this keeping track of who's who is giving me a headache. But it's why we're here…"

I trailed off. A strange sound caught my attention. I stopped in my tracks, waiting for the noise to sound again.

"I heard it too," Simba whispered.

We both waited in silence. My heart began to beat faster and faster like a drum in my chest. The tension increased while the air around us remained silent.

And then it came. The sound echoed from Pride Rock again. It was a cry of pain, mixed with a roar. Another roar sounded, but instead of coming from far away, it came from Simba.

"Get on!" he growled at me

I flung my leg over Simba's back and he shot off like a bullet towards Pride Rock.

"Did you recognize who roared?" I asked.

"Nala," Simba replied instantly.

I gritted my teeth as my thoughts instantly fell on Zira. I leaned lower to Simba's back so he could gain momentum.

"Sires!" a voice above us cried out.

I looked up and saw Zazu gliding down towards us.

"What happened to Nala, Zazu?" I asked urgently. "Has she been attacked?"

"No, nothing of the sort. She's in no danger," he replied quickly, "But she is in need of assistance! She's about to give birth!"

Simba, whose speed had not wavered once, not even when Zazu confirmed she was not in danger, halted to a sudden stop. Suddenly, I felt my legs fly up backwards over my head as Simba stopped.

"Ayden!" Simba cried out.

In the air, I quickly tucked myself into a ball, ready for the impact. As I hit the ground rolling, I waited for the right moment. I saw my opportunity, and took it without hesitation. I unfurled my legs and planted them firmly while extending my arms to the ground, steadying myself.

I looked at my stance and chuckled to myself. I'd only seen those kinds of acrobatics in movies, and had never even dreamed that I would ever perform one someday.

"Hey, be careful next time!" I called to Simba, who stared at me incredulously, a slight smile on his face. He turned back to Zazu who was perched on his shoulder.

"Nala's giving birth?" he asked, out of breath.

"Yes!" Zazu exclaimed, "But she's asking for you!"

Simba turned back to me, "Let's go Ayden!"

Without hesitation, I ran back to Simba, still amazed that I had pulled off such a cool feat, and hopped on his back. Zazu took flight, and together we sprinted to Pride Rock.

"Is Rafiki already there?" Simba asked urgently.

"Yes sire." Zazu replied without hesitation.

When we finally reached the base of Pride Rock, I slipped off of Simba's back and we ascended. The entrance around the cave was blocked by a large crowd of lionesses. Beside me, Simba roared.

"Back off! This is not something that needs an audience!" he shouted at the crowd. Immediately, the lionesses dispersed in all directions. From the cave came another pained roar. Simba gave me a quick look that I immediately knew meant for me not to follow. Then he turned back and rushed in to aid his mate.

For the next couple of hours, I sat outside the cave with my pride in one large cluster. Sarabi lay in her usual place by my side, Tanabi curled up in her front paws. Timon and Pumbaa sat on my other side, discussing issues of babysitting the new cub.

Only one small group remained outside of our gathering.

By now, I was used to Zira separating herself from us. She lay lazily just yards away, avoiding any of the pride's gazes. She was surrounded by her family; or at least her true son, Nuka, and her adopted cubs Kovu and Vitani.

Nuka was half the size of his mother, with the exact same pelt as his father, just paler. He was even thinner and more sickly looking than his father ever had been. Being almost a year and a half, his mane was starting to grow, but not in any way that looked normal. True, I had never actually seen how a male lion cub matured physically into an adult, but Nuka's appearance was nowhere near what I would consider normal.

Despite his appearance, however, Nuka had a good heart. He truly cared about the feelings of others and he tried to show that as much as possible. Only one thing overshadowed that quality; jealousy.

Zira was pouring out a constant and rather sickening flow of adoration for Kovu and Vitani, more so over Kovu. But nonetheless, out of all of her love and adoration that was directed at these two, she spared none for her true son. Because of the jealousy Nuka felt over this unfair show of affection, he would unexpectedly lash out at the other lionesses, and he even came close to fighting with them on several occasions. Simba felt that Nuka was a time-bomb waiting to explode and needed to be treated with the utmost caution just like his mother. The pride was on his side with that belief. Sarabi and I were the only ones who felt otherwise. Both of us had seen Nuka's capacity for good, and we both knew that his rages were not his fault.

As for Kovu and Vitani, they both were completely healthy and appeared normal. Both of them were the size of Simba when I first met him. Kovu was a deep chocolate brown with a creamy underbelly, like that of his father, Sekou. An even darker brown tuft of fur began to sprout from his forehead. He had strikingly livid eyes of green that held a kind, but piercing stare, as if he could see more than just appearances. Vitani was a light shade of tan, almost a golden color, like that of Kala's. From her forehead was a tuft of fur that fell over her father's lavender eyes like a set of bangs.

Their appearances were the only things I knew about Kovu and Vitani. I had never even heard them speak. Any time I had neared them to speak, one of two things happened. Either they would retreat from me in fear, which I was sure was Zira's doing, or Zira and Nuka would rush to take them both away before I could get a word out. Zira would always be glaring at me while Nuka avoided my gaze altogether.

I dwelled on these thoughts for a long while as I waited for the happy news that would soon emerge from the cave.

For now, Nala's pained cries and roars as she gave birth, and Simba's and Rafiki's encouraging words were the only sounds that could be heard.

Zazu sat next to Sarabi in absolute silence. He looked almost bored, and I realized that he had nothing to do at the moment.

"Zazu" I said, and everybody jumped at my sudden voice.

"Sorry everyone," I laughed as they glared at me, "Zazu, go round up the herds and let them know that we'll have the presentation of the new heir shortly."

"Yes sire!" Zazu exclaimed almost excitedly, and he flew off.

I sat back and fell into thought again, wondering if that herd of elephants would arrive today as Zazu had predicted.

Another pained cry came from the cave. Tanabi looked up at Sarabi.

"Bibi," he asked. Tanabi only recently began to grasp the concept of speaking. "Mama ok?"

Sarabi smiled at her grandson. "Of course she is Tanabi. She's just bringing your new little brother or sister into the world."

She silently sang to Tanabi.

"_Fatshe leso lea halalela  
Daughter, sleep now  
Kings watch from the great stars  
See them watch you?  
Call them, they will come  
Fatshe leso lea halalela"_

Tanabi drifted off into a silent slumber. Sarabi smiled at him, then looked up at me.

"It shouldn't take this long…" She whispered to me. "Something's not right. It's taking way too long."

After about an hour, a loud roar came from Nala, followed quickly by silence. Then an even louder roar reverberated, but this time, it came from Simba.

"AYDEN!" he growled and I jolted at his sudden need for me. "GET IN HERE NOW!"

I sprang to my feet and sprinted into the cave. Rounding the corner, I stopped dead in my tracks at what I saw.

Nala lay on her side, unconscious. Simba was nudging her fervently to get her to wake up. Rafiki kneeled in front of Nala's open legs, working nonstop at what I could only assume was the cub, and chanting a prayer in Swahili.

"Ayden!" Simba said urgently, "Do you know anything about healing?"

By now, I knew that Simba's term "healing" meant "medical" in my terms.

"A little bit..." I said quickly. "I learned a bit back when I was in school, but I never learned if it was applicable to lio…"

"THEN HELP ME!" Simba roared. I jumped slightly, and then rushed over to Nala's side, kneeling in front of her stomach. I placed my head to her chest and listened intently. Her heart beat steadily underneath her chest.

"She's fine, just unconscious." I diagnosed, "But where's the cub?"

I looked down at Rafiki and saw what he was working fervently at.

"Oh no…"

The tail, feet, and waist of a lion cub stuck out from between Nala's outstretched legs.

"It's going to suffocate…" I whispered shakily. I turned back to Nala grasped her shoulders, shaking her violently, but to no avail.

"NALA! YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP!" I cried desperately, knowing we only had precious minutes left before it was a lost cause. Shaking her was doing no good.

_What do I do? What do I DO?!?!_

I whipped my head from side to side, looking for something, _anything_ that could help. Rafiki's walking stick sat propped up against the side of the wall. An assortment of gourds dangled from the end.

Vividly, I remembered years ago when I had fetched Rafiki to heal Sarabi of some wounds inflicted by Zira. I remembered the potent aroma of the dark green gourd he had cracked open to heal her, and how it burned my nose.

I rushed over to his walking stick and wrenched the gourd off the end. I smashed it on a wall and it cracked open in two halves. Instantly, the potent aroma wafted from the mangled fruit and my nose burned. If this wouldn't wake up Nala, then all hope was lost.

"AYDEN!" Simba roared, desperation and fear in his voice. "DO SOMETHING!!!"

I rushed back over Nala's side and held the gourd close to her nose.

"Please God, let this work…" I muttered under my breath.

Nothing happened.

Desperation fell over me like a sheet of ice. With all the strength I could muster, I raised my hand and smacked Nala in the face.

Instantly, I was pinned to the ground. Simba was on top of me, claws out, and teeth bared at me.

"Don't you DARE lay another hand on her!" he half-roared, half growled.

"SIMBA!" I screamed both in desperation and in pain, for he was crushing me under his weight and digging his claws into my chest. "I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU! GET OFF OF ME!"

Suddenly, Nala groaned from behind Simba. Instantly the immense pressure was off my chest. I sat up, catching my breath. Suddenly, Nala roared again and Simba started talking to her in a soothing voice. I stood up again and hobbled over between Simba and Rafiki, glancing over at Simba cautiously. His gaze, however, was firmly fixed on his ailing mate.

"C'mon Nala…sweetheart you can do this…"

"I…can't…" She panted exhaustedly. "I…don't…think…I…can…do…it."

"Yes you can! Nala, you can do it!" Simba encouraged, tears in his eyes. "Push sweetheart! Push!"

Nala strained and then let out a loud cry. Then her body relaxed. She lay on her side panting and gasping for breath.

I looked over at Rafiki who now held a small, bloody ball of fur in his arms.

"It's a girl." He said solemnly.

I stared at him bewilderedly. Rafiki did not look happy at all. His face was saddened, and I knew why instantly.

The little cub in his arms was not breathing.

"Give her to me." I said urgently, holding out my arms.

Simba growled behind me. "Don't you touch her."

I rounded on Simba without fear, despite the fact he was a full-sized lion. "Simba, you asked for my help, and I'm giving it. There's still something I can do to help her. I don't know if it will work, but you're going to have to trust me!"

His face fell, though he remained in his defensive stance. Quickly, he nodded, looking unsure.

"Help her." He said, a tear falling down his muzzle.

I whirled around and Rafiki handed the cub to me.

_God help me…I hope I can remember how to do this right…_

I placed the cub on the ground, stomach up, and kneeled over her. I opened her mouth and, using only two fingers, I began to perform CPR on the little cub. All the while I was counting in my head, making absolutely sure that I was performing the right number of palpitations and breaths.

_One breath…Two breaths…wait. One, two, three, four, five…_

For what seemed like an eternity, this process went on and on. Everything in my vision disappeared except for the cub. She was the only thing that mattered now.

Hopelessness began to spread through me as I ran through the process a tenth time. In my head, I prayed and begged beyond anything that this little cub would live.

Then, just as I was about to give up, the little cub took a great inhale of breath and began to kick her legs. I retracted from her as the hopelessness fell away instantly, replaced simultaneously with gratitude.

"She's alive." I whispered, smiling.

Behind me, I heard the escape of breath as Simba sighed. Gently, I lifted up the cub and turned around. I kneeled down and placed her in Nala's paws.

The look in Nala's eyes was absolute love and adoration. Not the kind that Zira had in her eyes. Zira's was one of greed. Nala's eyes reflected true love gratefulness.

"My little Kiara…" She whispered. Simba smiled brightly, tears still falling down his face. He leaned down and licked Kiara's face, then his mate's. Then he turned to me.

"Thank you, Ayden."


	3. Presentation

**Alrighty then folks! I have some good news for you all! I've already written and finished Chapters 4 and 5 and they'll both be up by Christmas...maybe it will make a good Christmas present for you all!**

**There is one thing that i have to ask in all seriousness. Please do not ask me when i'm going to update the next chapters. Writing is a long and intricate process and it takes time. Some chapters are easier to write than others, while others can take a while to get right. We all take our time with the chapters so you all can read them at their very best. And then, of course, you have to remember that we are in the middle of the holiday season, which means busy busy busy at home and work. I can't drop all of my responsibilites just because you guys want me to update my chapters. Please have patience. We're not about to drop the entire project alltogether and leave you with questions. The story IS getting written, and it WILL be fully posted eventually. We're just making sure that the story is going to be the very best it can be! Again, PLEASE do not ask when i'm going to update.  
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Chapter 3 – Presentation**

Over the next couple of hours, animals from every corner of the Pride Lands began gathering around the base of Pride Rock, awaiting the presentation of Kiara. As Zazu had predicted, the large herd of elephants arrived that afternoon. I went down to greet them, take note of who was who and how many of them there were, and let them know of the laws. After this repetitive act, I quickly returned to Pride Rock to see my newborn niece.

On the way up, I pulled off my shirt to examine the damage to my chest where Simba had pinned me. Tossing the shirt aside as I entered the cave, I stared down at my bare chest. It was bad, but nothing that couldn't be healed. There were eight shallow scratches dug into my chest on the edges of two large paw print shaped bruises. I gently touched one of these bruises and winced as the oh-so familiar sensation of pain shot through my right breast. I sighed and continued around the corner.

I found Simba, Sarabi, and Tanabi huddled together around Nala in the cave. Kiara lay sleeping in Nala's arms.

Kiara was a unique color that I had never seen before. Her pelt was a color similar to that of an apricot; not quite gold like her fathers, and not quite tan like her mother's. Large, semi-faded spots covered her body; I knew that they would fade as Kiara grew. Her ruby eyes, exactly the same shade as Simba's, were wide with wonder. I looked up at Nala who was the happiest I had ever seen her in my life.

Only once had I ever seen that look on a lioness's face. My mind went back nine months previously to a hidden log in the middle of the Pride Lands. This was where Kala had given birth to Kovu and Vitani. The look in her eyes was reflected exactly in Nala's. Her pride, joy, and love seemed to radiate off of her. One could not help but feel warm and happy inside.

Nala was not the only one with that look in her eyes. Sarabi hovered over Nala's shoulder, looking exactly the same way at Kiara. Yet, there was more in my mother's eyes than just pure love. There was a longing that lingered there…

Instantly, I thought of her cub Kamau and realized just how much she missed him and wanted him back. The look in her eyes made my heart grow heavy with pity and sorrow.

Tanabi was propped up on his hind legs, his front paws drooped over his mother's paw. He was staring at his sister, a huge smile on his face.

"Kiara," he said happily, "Mama look! Kiara!"

"I see her Tanabi." Nala replied, smiling.

I smiled at Tanabi's innocence. I took a moment to take in the sight before me. Simba was nuzzling his mate and children, who were all happily purring. It was one big, happy, and whole family.

Something stirred in my stomach, and I suddenly felt a twinge of resentment, and possibly…_jealousy_?

_What?_ I thought to myself.

I vigorously shook my head and smiled again.

"Congratulations!" I said from behind the group. They looked up at me.

"Thank you Ayden." Nala said, beaming.

Simba looked away from his daughter and stared at me.

"Yes, thank you. Ayden, can I speak with you privately?" He asked quietly. His eyes were regretful.

"Of course…" I replied.

He turned and licked Nala and Kiara, and then came to my side. We left the inner cave and turned the corner into the entrance cave. Simba stopped and stared at the floor.

"Can you ever forgive me?" he said to the floor.

"For what?" I asked confusedly.

"'For what?'" He repeated incredulously, "Look at you Ayden!"

I had forgotten that I did not put my shirt back on. I looked back down at my injured chest.

"Oh…" I said, staring at the cuts and bruises.

Simba still hung his head in shame. "I have no excuse for my behavior. I don't know what came over me. I'm so sorry Ayden."

"Simba." I said chuckling, "I'm a weak human-well ok, maybe not 'weak', but you know what I mean. Anyways, I'm living with an entire pride of strong, fierce lions. I expect these kinds of things to happen from time to time."

"I just lost control…I had no reason to distrust you at all."

"Distrust me?" I repeated, confused. "What do you mean distrust?"

For the first time, Simba looked up at me. "When I saw you doing things that I'd never seen back there, it triggered something inside of me. It was like I didn't see you as _you_."

He paused for a moment before finishing. "I saw you as a threat…"

I realized now that what Simba had done to me was purely out of instinct. It is the rare lion you would find who has any experience with humans, and it would be almost impossible to find one who had anything nice to say about them.

Until I came along, humans were considered hostile and dangerous. Simba grew up with this knowledge, but he suppressed that knowledge when I came along….until just a few moments ago, when he saw me hurting the ones he loved. Not knowing that what I was doing was helpful, he let his old teachings and instincts take over and he defended his family from the threat.

"You're my best friend Ayden. I should have known better. I shouldn't have lost control like that. You would _never_ hurt anybody in this pride."

"You know what Simba…" I said slowly. He stared at me, clinging onto every word. "I don't care if you knew better. You weren't in the best of situations. Even the best of us would have lost it like that. I don't blame you at all."

Simba stared at me for a moment, uncertainty reflected in his ruby orbs.

"It's fine Simba." I said firmly.

Finally, he smiled, and I returned it.

He turned around and went back to his mate and child. I glanced around and found my shirt still lying crumpled up against the wall. I picked it up and slipped it back over my torso, careful not to put too much pressure on the injuries.

Behind me I heard a rattling. I looked around and saw Rafiki standing in the mouth of the cave, staring up into the clouds that obscured the sky.  
Curious, I wandered to his side and looked at his face. His eyes were closed and he seemed very relaxed.

"Rafiki, what…" I began, but he held up a hand to silence me. Quietly, his eyes still closed, he walked forward to the edge of Pride Rock. As he did, he began to hum a low tune. I cocked my head to one side, trying to make sense of this.

Then, when he reached the edge of Pride Rock, Rafiki began to chant softly, growing louder and louder.

"_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_"

Having no idea what this was about, I turned around to retrieve Simba to see if he knew any better, but to my surprise, he was already there.

He, Sarabi, and Tanabi were standing right behind me. Nala was lying down near the mouth of the cave, Kiara sleeping in her paws. The pride, who had all taken notice of our appearance, sat up and watched us all.

"Simba, what is he doing?" I asked.

Simba raised his eyebrows and grimaced in an "I-have-no-clue" look.

"He's summoning the kingdom." Sarabi said quietly aside to me.

Sure enough, at Sarabi's words, countless silhouettes began to appear over the horizon, slowly making their way across the land to us.

"Wow…." I whispered.

Never before had I seen such a congregation of this size. Every single herd that I had checked in over the last couple of months was arriving at the base of Pride Rock, awaiting the presentation of their new princess. Mixed in this congregation was a grand assortment of birds, monkeys, rhinos, elephants, antelopes, wildebeests, and countless others.

Several herds had shown up that I did not recognize. One was the herd of elephants that Zazu had told me about, another was a flock of ostriches, and another…

My breath caught sharp in my chest. Old memories that were all but forgotten began to stir in my mind. I inexplicably forgot how to breathe.

A herd of rare white rhinos was making its way through the crowd.

After what seemed like an eternity, I found my lungs again and inhaled.

Back when my family was alive, it had been my father's greatest ambition to see a rare white rhino during our safari trips. Unfortunately, he, along with the rest of my family, had passed away before they had the chance to see one. Now, years later, I had been able to realize his dream.

Tears welled in my eyes and I couldn't help but smile as the faces of my family flooded my memories.

I tore my eyes away from the creatures and looked up into the sky, silently thanking God, the Kings of the Past, or whoever had blessed me with this sight.

I looked back down and saw that the last of the herds had finally settled in for the presentation. Rafiki stopped chanting and looked around. There was absolute silence. Not an animal stirred or made a sound.

Then, Rafiki turned and motioned for both Simba and I to come forward.

"What?" I mouthed.

"You both need to address the kingdom. Announce the birth of a new heir." Sarabi whispered to us.

Warily, I took a step forward. Simba, understanding, followed suit. Together, we moved up the slope of the ledge. For a moment, I was reminded of the night when Simba and I had taken power. We had walked these exact same steps.

We reached the edge of the ledge, and stopped, staring at our subjects. The crowd made neither movement nor sound. All eyes were on the two of us.

"Tough crowd…" I murmured out of the side of my mouth. "You wanna go first, or should I?"

Simba smiled and rolled his eyes. He raised his voice and addressed the lands.

"Friends, loyal subjects, and newcomers, we officially welcome you to the Pride Lands. I am the ruler of these lands. I am King Simba."

"And I am King Ayden." I spoke up.

For the first time since its silence, the crowd made a sound. A low murmur swept over them. I already knew the reason why. Humans were rumored to be savage and distrustful. To have one as a king was clearly an apprehensive situation for the subjects.

"Be at peace my people." Simba said, and the murmuring stopped. "We trust Ayden with our lives, just as my father, King Mufasa, did. No harm will come to any of you so long as King Ayden rules at my side."

The faces I could make out in the crowd below us did not look entirely convinced.

_They just need some time._ I thought. _They haven't seen what I can do yet._

"You all have come on a glorious day for the Pride Lands." I spoke out. "Today, King Simba and his mate, Queen Nala, have brought forth another heir."

Instantly, the atmosphere changed from apprehension to excitement.

"Without further ado," Simba addressed, "we now present to you your new princess, Kiara."

Simba and I turned and rejoined our pride. Rafiki, who had been standing by Nala, leaned down and picked up Kiara. He nodded to both Simba and I respectfully, and then walked up to the place where Simba and I had just left. As he did, a formation of clouds began to form just ahead of Pride Rock.

My eyes were drawn to this phenomenon that was so familiar to me. I watched in amazement as, for the second time in my life, the formation of Mufasa appeared in the clouds. The sun shone through the translucent figure, which gave Mufasa an even more majestic appearance. He was smiling down on us.

Rafiki reached the edge, and extended his hands to the heavens, Kiara clutched tightly within them.

Mufasa smiled down on his granddaughter, and shifted ever so slightly. The sun passed straight through him and created a ray of light that shone down on Kiara.

Now I understood the meaning of the presentation. It was a blessing from the Kings of the Past onto the new heir to the kingdom.

A faint breeze picked up and blew around several leaves. As if they had a mind of their own, the leaves encircled Kiara, then Rafiki, then Simba and Nala, and finally me. I smiled, knowing full well that this was no coincidence.

The leaves circled back and danced through the air around Kiara. Kiara's figure contracted and lashed out at the leaves. Rafiki maintained his tight grip at her. I chuckled at her clear playfulness.

Behind me, I heard the sound of heavy breathing. I looked around and saw Timon and Pumbaa slumped on the ground.

"Sorry…we're…late," panted Timon. "We…got…caught…up…"

"It's fine," I said softly. "But you both need to be quiet. The ceremony is still in progress."

As I said this, loud roars, growls, and cheers erupted from below us. The subjects were celebrating and rejoicing the blessing of their new princess. They reared up on their hind legs, pounded the ground, and jumped up and down in their excitement. Then, one by one, they all fell to the ground in a clear bow to their royalty.

Rafiki finally lowered Kiara and reached down to the ground where he had lay his stick. He grabbed a gourd off the end and cracked it in half. He placed his thumb into the red juice that was inside, and stood back up. He ran his thumb across Kiara's forehead in a curved line; the mark of royalty.

Simba, Nala, and I stood up and moved forward to Rafiki and Kiara. Timon and Pumbaa were close behind us, Timon sitting on Pumbaa's head.

"Ah Pumbaa, look at that little guy!" Timon sighed from behind me. "A chip off the ol' block! And you gotta know who's gonna raise him!"

I turned my head slightly to hear them better, slightly amused at Timon's ignorance.

"His parents?" Pumbaa said matter-of-factly, yet with some form of question.

Timon rolled his eyes. "Ok, sure, get technical, but who's gonna teach him the really important stuff?"

I turned my head a slight bit more so as to see the two of them, thoroughly amused with them both.

"Like how to belch…" Timon said as he leapt off of Pumbaa's head and onto his nose. Right as he made contact with Pumbaa's snout, Timon let out a deep and rather disgusting burp.

Smiling contentedly and comfortably to himself, he continued, "…and dig for grubs!"

He leapt off of Pumbaa's nose onto the ground.

"I'm telling you buddy, now that the Pride Lands are back to normal, it's gonna be just like old times; you, me, and the two little guys!"

Simba, Nala, and Rafiki had been listening to the conversation as well, for Rafiki chuckled to himself.

"It is a girl." He said happily.

"Girl." Timon corrected himself, his face still happy with his fond wishing of two male cubs.

Then, simultaneously, Timon and Pumbaa turned to one another and screamed in total disbelief, "GIRL?!?! Oy…"

And they fell on their backs in a dead faint.

The four of us laughed happily, and turned back to coo over the source of joy that the day had brought us.


	4. Brothers and Enemies

**Well that was a fast update wasn't it! lol, this is my longest (and most exciting) chapter to date. Also, there is a new plot device in it that i will start to use from time to time. **

**I will be switching back and forth between Ayden's and Simba's perspectives. I've clearly labeled each time i switch between the two so that there is no confusion. This story calls for explainations on both sides of their stories, and the only way to really convey that is to be inside of both of their heads.**

**Have fun guys!  
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Chapter 4 – Brothers and Enemies**

It was clear that a new day had come. The kingdom had two fair and kind kings, two healthy heirs to the throne, and a lush green land that was nothing short of paradise. Our lives were almost perfect.

Almost…

The days that followed Kiara's birth were very tense for me. I had noticed that Zira and many of her followers had conveniently been absent from Kiara's presentation. This stirred up the anger and resentment I felt towards her. I knew that she was up to no good, and after that day, I decided to pay more attention to her actions.

Unfortunately, it did no good at all. She, her "family", and her supporters were gone each morning even before I awoke, and they did not return until well into the evening. Zira always had a smug look on her face whenever our gazes met. Something was up, and I feared that Zira would act on her twisted impulses soon.

Simba, however, disagreed with me. He did not believe that Zira had it in her to attempt something so risky and bold. He actually found it quite humorous that I even believed that she would.

"Simba," I said incredulously, pointing to the scar on my face. "Who better than me would know what Zira is capable of?"

"Ayden," Simba said, dropping all humorous pretenses, "It won't happen. Even if she was going to do something, do you honestly believe she would have waited this long to try it?"

Angry, I opened my mouth to say something, but found myself at a loss for words.

Simba took advantage of my silence to have the last word.

"Face it Ayden, you're just being paranoid."

Fury rose in me at Simba's stubbornness. Without another thought or care about what I was going to say, I retaliated.

"Paranoid or not, I've been through hell and back, and it was all Scar's and Zira's doing. Scar is gone, but Zira is still around, and I don't trust her as far as I could throw her. I'm ten times more experienced at this than you are, and the fact that you treat this as if it was funny and the fact that you refuse to even consider that what I believe might be true just shows how young and inexperienced you really are!"

The look on Simba's face reflected one of pain as if I had just stabbed him with my knife. Some strange and unnatural satisfaction became apparent, and without another word, I turned and stormed off.

Instantly, I regretted what I had said. I had hurt my best friend with a maliciousness that I had only felt for one other; Scar. Simba did not deserve that at all. I stopped walking, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath.

I turned around to go back to Simba and apologize, but he had already taken flight. I sighed and shook my head. I slunk to the ground and fell into thought.

_Why? WHY? __**WHY**__!?!?!_

This was all that echoed in my mind. Why? Why had I reacted so harshly to Simba? Why had I said such a cruel and heartless thing? He was my best friend, my own brother, and yet I treated him as if he was some stubborn fool who was deliberately trying to get on my nerves. What did it matter if I had more experience than him? He did not deserve to be talked to like that.

Something in me stirred again, and I instantly remembered the image of Simba and his happy family on the day Kiara was born. I remembered that, for one brief instant, I had felt a twinge of resentment and jealousy.

Again, I found myself asking _why?_

Why would I be resentful or jealous of a happy family; of _my_ happy family?

And then it hit me like a brick wall. I _was_ jealous of Simba. I was jealous of what he had, and what I had lost and now desired.

I wanted somebody who I could be closer to than anybody else. I wanted somebody to hug and hold onto. I wanted somebody to love. I wanted a family.

_You love Simba, Nala, Sarabi, Tanabi, and Kiara_, _and they ARE your family._

"Not that kind of love…" I whispered to myself.

True, Simba and his family were my own now; I had no doubt about that. But still, there was something missing. I was still a kind of outsider among them.

I was human. They were lions. I had no true ties to them. Yes, I had been accepted into their Pride, and even named as their own leader. But I was not content with being an accepted outsider.

Selfishly, I wanted more.

Simba and Nala had fallen in love with each other. They loved each other beyond anything else. I had only felt this kind of love for three other people: my mother, my father, and my brother.

And it all made sense. I was jealous of Simba because he had what I wanted and had lost. He was fully connected to these lions. He had every tie possible to them. He was in love, and he was loved back.

"That is still no excuse." I said firmly to myself. "It's not his fault that he has what I don't. I had no right to say what I said."

With the knowledge of this hard truth, something even more painful hit me. There was nothing that could be done about this. There were no humans around, and even if there were, what were the odds that they would be the ones I desired? And it would not be possible for me to fall in love with a lioness. I would have to be a lion in order to do that, and sadly that was beyond impossible.

The fact of the matter was, there was absolutely nothing that I or anybody else could do. These feelings of mine were unnatural, and even harmful to me.

I sighed distastefully at my selfish impulses. They were not the feelings that a good king should have. I couldn't feel them at all, and I would not allow myself to feel them. I needed to suppress them, because they would cause nothing but discomfort and awkwardness between us all.

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**----Simba----**

Ayden's words stung me worse than any kind of pain I had ever felt. And even worse, they brought back the newfound aggression I had begun to feel towards him. I had suppressed it before I lost control and attacked him, but still...

Without another word, Ayden turned his back and went off in a huff. I sighed painfully, turned, and ran off. The sting of Ayden's words seemed to worsen, and I sped up, trying to outrun it.

After a while, I finally stopped and lay on the ground to think.

Something was bothering Ayden. He was my best friend, and I could tell when something was really bothering him.

_Well, of course there is! He thinks Zira is going to attack the Pride!_

_No…there's something else to it._

Ayden was very reserved. There had been times where we both argued, but never before had he lashed out like that. Even if something was bothering him, he always came clean about it. But why would he not do it now? Clearly, he had been bothered by this mysterious reason for some time. He had bottled up his feelings for a while, which explained why he had lashed out.

_Maybe he's right…maybe I am too inexperienced._

I sighed, got to my paws and started walking aimlessly.

There was truth in those words. Ayden had been through much more than I had. What had I to show for my experience? My father had died, and instead of taking hold of my responsibility, I had run from it. I spent the last two years in responsibility-free exile, while my Pride was going through hell.

When I met up with Ayden again, he was scarred and changed. There had been a significant difference about him. He was still the same as I knew him, and yet he was much more wary and defensive. It was his proof of his experience. Then we returned together and I regained the throne with Ayden's help. In fact, without him, we might not have even won that battle.

_That must be it then._

Ayden was annoyed by my inexperience at leading.

Yet another issue came to my mind that, even above this one, troubled me endlessly.

On the day that my lovely Kiara was born, when Ayden was helping with her birthing problems, I had lost total control when I though he was hurting Nala. I had wanted to protect my family. I had wanted to _kill_ him.

Why?

Why did my instincts, in that one moment, direct all my desperation and anger at my best friend? Why was I willing to hurt him? More than hurt him: kill him.

Even worse, what would I do if I felt an instinct like that again? I just had when Ayden lashed out, but I suppressed it then. What would happen if I _didn't_ suppress it? Would I be responsible for the death of the second king…of my best friend?

_As if I didn't have enough to worry about…_

I sighed and rolled my eyes. My own issues were only part of my worries. Pride Landers began to spread rumors about my inexperience. And what's more, several pesky vultures were spreading rumors that I had raped Nala, that I was allowing the hyenas to stay in the Pride Lands, and that the lionesses wanted to rebel against me.

I realized that I was still wandering, and looked up to see where I had ended up. I saw that I had wandered into the shade of a large acacia tree. Lying underneath was my mother, stretched out in the shade. I smiled and leaned down to nudge her.

She looked up at me and smiled back and I sat down next to her.

"Hi, Mom," I said. I realized that even though I was smiling, my voice reflected my troubled mind.

She licked my forehead and said sweetly, "Hello sweetheart. Everything ok?"

I couldn't look at her. Instead, I sighed and stared down at my crossed paws, not quite sure what to tell her.

"I don't know mom, I just don't know. I'm not sure what to think anymore."

"What's bothering you?" she asked.

Still looking down, I decided to tell her part of the reason. The last thing she needed to know was that her sons, the two Kings of the Pride Lands, were arguing.

I sighed again, and said, "The vultures have been spreading rumors; that I raped Nala and she had my cubs, that we're too young and unfit to rule, that I'm letting the hyenas keep living in the Pride Lands, and that the lionesses want to overthrow me! It's out of control, and I don't know what to do. The animals are losing faith in me, and I haven't even been king for a year yet."

Mom looked back at me, still smiling. "Rumors are rumors Simba. Nobody can or should believe them unless there's proof. The difference between a rumor and a fact is that a fact can be proven, but a rumor is only word of mouth. Only fools or those who are gullible believe them."

"Then why is everyone turning against me?" I asked, looking up into the clouds. _Even Ayden…_I added subconsciously.

Mom sighed and looked away. "That's because they haven't had something to believe in for the longest time, despite mine and Ayden's best efforts. Besides, everything the vultures say is for attention. They don't know what they're talking about, and the odds are that not as many as you think are believing them. The fact of the matter is, that you came in so suddenly, that everyone is in a bit of a panic. With panic, rumors are bound to show up. It's the way things are."

I sighed as another thought occurred to me. "This wouldn't have happened to Dad."

Mom looked straight into my eyes and held my gaze with her own. "No Simba, it didn't happen to your father. But then again, he didn't overcome a tyrant to claim the throne. And he didn't rule alongside somebody who many of the Pride-members suffered and identified with. You have to understand Simba, with Scar's rule came his supporters. The odds are that the vultures were some of them. It's just how things happen."

Mom's words hit me hard.

_He didn't rule alongside somebody who many of the Pride-members suffered and identified with._

So not only was I unfit to rule, but I was not as well trusted as Ayden was. Again, that defensive instinct rose up in me.

_NO! Don't feel that way! That's not his fault!_

I looked back at mom, trying to clear my mind.

"Do you think I'll be a good King mom?"

She smiled and nuzzled my neck. "You already are. And I have never been more proud of you in my entire life. And I know, from way up in the stars, your father is proud too."

Everything washed from my mind for a brief moment when Mom mentioned Dad. She said he would be proud of me. But I almost doubted that. Would he? Would he be proud of me not taking the initiative to show the subjects of my experience? Would he be proud of me relying on Ayden for everything? Would he be proud of the aggressiveness I felt towards my own brother?

I laid my head on my paws and stared into space, losing myself in my depressing thoughts. Eventually, I felt my eyes drooping. Breathing deep, I began to let myself succumb to the sleep. Maybe it would help to clear my thoughts.

Then, a horrid and savage cry tore through the silence from Pride Rock. I jerked and leapt to my feet, gazing at my home.

Something was up.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**----Ayden----**

I sighed and started walking back to Pride Rock. Maybe Simba would be there, and I could apologize. All the while, thoughts of my own selfishness bounced back and forth through my head, never slowing or ceasing. It only made me feel even worse, and I wanted to see Simba even more.

I ascended the slope of Pride Rock and looked up to see if anybody was around.

Immediately, I wished I hadn't.

Zira, her family, and her supporters were all grinning devilishly at me. All except for Nuka, who was shaking like mad, and Kovu and Vitani, who stared at me with uncertainty.

"Zira, what is this about?" I asked warily, readying myself for whatever. My knife lay in my right pocket.

"Well now, what could we possibly want from you, oh _'King'_?" She replied through her evil grin. Her emphasis on the word 'King' was unsettling.

From behind me I heard a voice calling out to me, growing closer and closer.

"Ayden! There you are! I've been meaning to talk to you about Zira…"

I glanced around, not turning my back on Zira, to see Ayana and three other lionesses running up to me. She trailed off when she saw that Zira was standing right before us.

"Is that so, Ayana?" Zira said malevolently. "Well then, why don't we all discuss this together then? Like, NOW!"

And her followers attacked. My knife flew from my pocket, gripped tightly in my hand, as I jumped up, narrowly avoiding being mauled by Yejide. I landed swiftly, ready for the next wave of attackers, but they never came.

Half of the lionesses, including Zira, had surrounded Ayana and the other lionesses. The other half had run into the den.

Then, from the midst of the surrounding lionesses, a brutal and agonizing cry called out.

"NO!" I cried out, rushing forward to help my loyal subjects. One of the lionesses whirled around and swiped at me. I dropped down and slid just below her outstretched claws. She turned back to the circle that was now horribly mauling their own Pride-members, whose agonizing screams of pain and torment were slowly diminishing.

A roar from behind me told me that this was not all that was going on. I whirled around and, to my horror, Nala was being drug out of the cave by three lionesses, one of whom I recognized to be Yejide. She was struggling and roaring against their jaws and claws, but to no avail.

"SILENCE HER!" one of the lionesses cried.

Yejide released her grip on Nala's neck and raised her paw. Instinctively, I raised my knife at the same time that Yejide's powerful paw came crashing down on Nala's head. My knife flew from my hand as I watched in horror as Nala fell limp in the lionesses jaws.

**THUNK.**

The knife landed dully in Yejide's neck. Her eyes grew wide in shock, and she began to run around in agony, trying to get the knife out. I sprinted at her and leapt on top of her back.

"HERE! Let me help you with that!" I yelled savagely, as she tried to buck me off. Then I wrenched the knife from her neck.

The reaction was instant. As the blood began to flow out from her jugular, she stopped jerking and struggling as she grew weaker and weaker. Her body grew shaky, and she barely had strength to stand.

"You're not going to win that easily…" She managed to blurt out, and with a burst of energy, she crouched down and leapt to the edge of Pride Rock. I released my knees from her stomach and flew backward off of her as she flew over the edge to her death.

I landed hard on my back and rolled across the incline. I grew rigid to stop the rolling before I too went over the edge. I came to a halt mere inches from it.

Then did I realize that my head was spinning. I had hit it pretty hard when I landed. I was completely disoriented from the impact.

I glanced up and saw Nuka, Kovu, and Vitani feet away from my face, all looking fearful.

"Nuka…" I said dazedly, "Get out of here! Take Kovu and Vitani and get out!"

"SUBDUE HIM!" Zira screamed from some unknown direction. Her voice echoed strangely in my head.

Suddenly I felt a sharp pain around my neck as a lioness grabbed it in her jaws. Two more pained areas were apparent on my back as two mighty paws, claws unfurled, were pinning me down.

"One more move, and it will be the last you make my 'King'." The lioness that had me by the neck growled.

I gritted my teeth, but made not one move.

Then I heard a deafening roar that I would recognize anywhere, and a balloon of hope expanded in me.

Simba!

Though I could not see him, I could hear the anger and authority in his voice as he spoke up.

"What's going on here?"

"SIMBA…AHHH!" I cried out, as the lioness tightened her grip on my neck. Warm blood trickled down from where her teeth had begun to puncture my skin.

"Ayden?" He called out worriedly.

I heard several grunts and growls, and then the shifting of large bodies as the lionesses all moved away from their kills.

Simba's voice trembled with disbelief. "You…YOU FILTHY BITCH!"

He let out a loud roar, the sound of his large body leaping from the ground, and then a different roar sounded; Sarabi's.

"NO! No Simba, don't stoop to their level!"

Simba's voice was trembling still, but it was now with a mix of disbelief and sadness. "She killed them!" he said, breathing hard. "She killed them…"

Zira growled fiercely. "Just like you killed our King! Now I will make you pay!"

An even more frightening sound became apparent; more frightening than Simba's fear, more frightening than the looks on Nuka's, Kovu's, and Vitani's faces, and more frightening than the screams of my Pride-members as they were horribly mauled to death. It was the sound of two cubs screaming in terror for their daddy.

"Daddy! Daddy help!" Tanabi sobbed through his screams.

Kiara, being a new cub, only squealed and screamed in terror.

This horrible sound brought tears to my eyes and a newfound hatred for Zira. She was threatening to kill two innocent cubs to just to indulge in her perverted wants.

If this was as bad as I felt, I couldn't even begin to imagine what Simba was going through. His mate, his children, and his best friend were all in positions to die, and it was up to him to decide over his power or his family.

"What do you want with me?" He asked, his voice shaking with despair and defeat.

"Aww, does poor Simba want his friend, mate, and little cubbies back?" Zira sneered in a mock baby voice. "You don't even deserve cubs! You return home barely an adult, kill our King, then bring your childish lust on a young lioness and bring forth cubs outside wedlock? What kind of King are you?"

"He's a GREAT king!" I shouted out through the pain, "Far superior to that worthless, evil, conniving Scar…OWWW!" The lioness bit harder as the other lioness dug her claws into the small of my back. More blood flowed down my neck, and my head started to spin again.

"NO! Stop!" Simba cried out. "Zira, what do you want? Don't hurt them, just tell me!"

"You should know by now!" Zira exclaimed vehemently. "Those of us loyal to the Great King Scar demand your abdication of the throne."

"Never."

Zira chuckled in a conniving tone. "Would you be willing to sacrifice your family and best friend for the kingship?"

At her words, the lioness lifted her head, pulling mine out of the dirt. The other lioness tensed her paws, which lifted her claws in and out of my back. I screamed in agony as these two pains combined.

Seconds passed as Simba debated with himself. I knew he would never abdicate the throne to someone as evil and desperate as Zira, but he would not even dare risk the safety of friends and family.

Suddenly, a whooping cry came out. I heard two loud _thunks_ and suddenly, I was released. Dazed and woozy, I scrambled away from the two lionesses that had, inexplicably, been knocked in the head. I stood up and began to back away to the very edge of Pride Rock, looking for my savior.

Rafiki was using his stick to perform feats of unimaginable speed to subdue the lionesses. Zira was swiftly on her back, and in the same instant, Rafiki had swooped over to the two lionesses who were holding Tanabi and Kiara and scooped them in his arms. Then he jumped back, next to Simba, cradling the cubs in one arm, his staff at the ready in the other.

"You stupid ape!" Zira screamed, and she pounced at Rafiki.

Simba met her in the air, and the two lions began a vicious battle. Simultaneously, several of our own lionesses, who had heard all the commotion from within the Pride Lands, came hurling themselves over the slope of Pride Rock to aid us. The two groups of lionesses all began to fight one another with savagery that I had rarely witnessed.

I reached to my pocket for my knife, when I realized that I had dropped it while tumbling across Pride Rock. I looked up and gulped as Simba and Zira edged closer and closer to me. Zira was gaining the upper hand.

The adrenaline pumped through me, and suddenly my head, back, and neck felt no more pain. Thinking fast, I did the one thing that I thought to be helpful. I rushed forward and, with all the strength I could muster, swung a great kick into Zira's stomach. Happily, I felt it sink deep into her underbelly.

She recoiled as the wind was knocked out of her. Simba, taking advantage of her weak moment, grabbed her by the neck and, with all his strength, flung her over the edge of Pride Rock. I saw in slow motion as Zira, face filled with pain and fear, flew from Simba's mouth over the edge. For a moment, I thought she would meet the same fate as Yejide.

That was not the case however. Zira landed ten feet away in the branches of a nearby tree. She brutally fell through the branches another ten feet to the ground, where she lay motionless.

Almost.

Her chest still rose and fell with her labored breathing.

I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth in anger. _She's still alive_.

I breathed deep, trying to control my anger. Then I looked up at Simba, who too was trying to control his impulses. Simba and I turned to see that all of Zira's followers had been subdued by our own.

"Do not kill them!" I called out, and the lionesses obeyed. Simba made an uncertain sideways glance at me, but he said nothing.

I took a step forward, but recoiled instantly. My lower back sent out a shockwave of pain as my back moved with my body. When I recoiled, I bent my neck, which sent an equal amount of pain shooting through my head and down my neck.

"Ayden, are you alright?" Simba asked urgently.

"No…" I said through gritted teeth as I fell to my knees, which sent another wave of pain through my body.

"Here." Simba said, and he leaned down so I could grab around his neck. I slid my arms around, and interlocked my fingers tightly so I wouldn't lose grip. Then, painfully, I slid one leg over Simba's back.

"You secure?"

"As I'll ever be…" I grunted.

"Ok then, I'll take it slow." Simba replied uncertainly, and he set off down the ledge to his family. Occasionally, he would take a step a little too hard, and it would jolt me, sending another wave of pain through my body.

I grunted painfully, but managed to growl out, "Don't stop!"

Finally, after what seemed like years, Simba finally stopped by his family. I released my hold and slipped from his back, landing next to him on my knees. I fell forward onto my stomach, and lay there in agony.

My head was spinning again, faster now than it had before. Not able to lift my head, my eyes moved up and met Simba's.

"I'll be fine…go to your family." I whispered.

Simba still looked uncertain, but he obliged, and turned to go see his beloved mate and children.

The spinning sped up, and I found myself being plunged into darkness. The last thing I saw before finally succumbing to unconsciousness was Simba, tearfully and happily nuzzling his family.

The jealously sprang up again, and I grew angry at myself for allowing it to, especially now in this of all times.

And I knew no more.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Several hours later, I awoke to darkness. Immediately, I felt my neck and back sting like crazy. I reached around to feel them, and found that I was touching a gooey substance.

Apparently Rafiki had applied some of his mysterious organic solution on them, and already, they were feeling better. My head had finally stopped spinning. I sat up. My back and neck sent a pang of pain, but it wasn't enough to inhibit me from standing up.

In the semidarkness, I found a wall to lean on. I glanced around and found that I had been placed in the den. Using the wall as a handle, I hobbled to the edge of the cave, around the corner, and out into the moonlit night.

My pride had formed a large circle around ten individual lionesses, including Zira. Nuka, Kovu, and Vitani were all sitting fearfully by one of our own lionesses. Simba was speaking in a harsh and hateful tone to them all.

"You are all hereby deemed guilty of crimes against your own Pride, which include treachery, scheming, and murder. You all follow and obey a false and dead king."

Simba smiled rather smugly, but instantly it was gone. "Well, your previous "king's" law decrees that these crimes are punishable by death."

Each of the condemned lionesses looked fearful. Even Zira's eyes reflected a fear that was unnatural in them.

"However…" I spoke up, and everybody glanced around surprised at me, "You will not be subject to that tyrant's harsh rule. Instead, we will follow the laws of the true previous king, Mufasa."

I glanced at Simba, who nodded back at me. I stepped away from the wall and looked at Zira straight in the eye. "Therefore, you all are, henceforth, banished from the Pride Lands forever."

Simba eyed me for a moment, and then he turned back to the condemned. "Get out now." he said coldly as he rose to his feet. "If you are not out of our territory by midnight tonight, every last one of you will be killed and eaten as trespassers. Get going."

Zira snarled, but stood up and turned to leave. The circle parted and one by one, the condemned lionesses filed out of the circle, down the slope of Pride Rock, and out of sight.

Zira and another lioness stopped for a moment, and glanced to the side where her family sat, staring at her.

"No…" she whispered. She glanced over at the other lioness, who nodded. They roared at the lioness that was guarding Kovu and Vitani. She recoiled, and before she could react, Zira and the other lioness had Kovu and Vitani gripped in their teeth. Nala and half of the Pride growled and crouched down.

"No! Don't!" cried Sarabi. "You'll hurt the cubs."

Reluctantly, the Pride stood back up, glaring at Zira.

"They're not your cubs! They're Kala's," Nala said, almost desperately.

"They are mine! Scar said so!" Zira said smugly. "As his adoptive mother, I am bound by the law of King Mohatu to look after him as my own."

Then she looked over at Simba. "Look at him, Simba. Take a good long look. For the next time you see him, it will be the last thing you ever see."

No! I thought in desperation. There was no way she could have those cubs! Or Nuka! In a rage, I stormed over to her and blocked her path.

"Absolute CRAP, Zira! I refuse to let you take those innocent cubs away after you just attempted to kill in cold blood two other innocents and not to mention what you did to their mother! In fact there's enough blood in your history THAT BATHED THE ENTIRE PRIDELANDS!" I turned back to the Pride. "Take them away from her! Not even a young Scar deserves her as mother."

The Pride stood up and formed a tight circle that included me, around Zira.

"Ayden, no!" Sarabi cried out. "Zira is right. She is bound by Mohatu's law. We cannot take Kovu and Vitani away from her."

I sighed angrily, clenched my teeth and closed my eyes.

"Fine." I grunted, "Let her pass."

The circle broke but I remained in Zira's path, staring into her eyes with a loathing that was, if possible, greater than the kind I had felt for Scar.

Her eyes turned on me. There was pure hatred in those eyes. "Before my life is over, I will make sure that I have killed you personally. You have been a thorn in my side for too long, and you will rue the day you ever crossed me."

Simba roared savagely. "GET OUT! NOW!"

With one last smug smile, Zira turned to leave again. Before leaving, she growled at Nuka, who recoiled before running back to her. Then, Zira disappeared over the slope. Nuka looked back at us all pleadingly, and then he followed his mother reluctantly.

"Nuka…" I whispered simultaneously with Sarabi. I glanced at her, and there was true sadness in her eyes.

I stared back at Simba, who met my gaze. Memories of our argument, which now seemed like it happened years ago, came back to me, and I couldn't bear to look at him. I turned and hobbled back into the den, where I slumped onto the ground and fell into a deep and troubled sleep.

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**I wanted to mention that the title of this chapter (Brothers and Enemies) has a double meaning. First, of course, Brothers refers to Ayden and Simba. Enemies refers to the Pridelanders vs. the Outlanders. HOWEVER, i actually prefer to think of the chapter to refer to the conflict between Ayden and Simba. For they are brothers, but by the standards of Mother Nature, humans and lions are not intended to live together, hence the term "Enemies". Add on top the feelings of agression that Simba is having towards Ayden, it even intensifies that term. You see, _I_ see the conflict between Ayden and Simba to be the bigger issue, for if they lose their relationship, then how could they even hope to defeat the Outlanders?**

**Chapter 5 is now in Dan's and Cathy's posession, so as soon as i get it back from them, i'll have it up! Just keep waiting, and again PLEASE do not ask me through either private message OR review when i'm going to update. The chapter will be up when we believe it is at it's very best for your eyes. Just be patient!  
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	5. Confessions

**Merry Christmas my readers! As promised, Chapter 5 was posted on Christmas! Not much else to say except for MERRY CHRISTMAS AND ENJOY!**

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**Chapter 5 – Confessions**

I awoke the next morning abruptly. It was still dark outside, for the morning rays had yet to seep into the cave.

I sat up, wincing at the pain, and looked around.

The den was significantly empty with many of our previous Pride-members banished or dead. Before, the entire room was filled with sleeping lions. Now, only a small circle of 20 some-odd lions slept around the royalty.

Simba, Nala, their children, and Sarabi slept silently on the raised rock. I stared into Simba's face. Thought he was sleeping, he did not look remotely peaceful.

Instantly, I felt horrible again for my selfish reaction from the day before. I sighed and quietly stood up. I crossed the den with ease, since it was not as jammed as it used to be. I grabbed my backpack from its usual spot, and wandered out of the den.

Lost in my thoughts and misery, I found myself at my bathing spot rather quickly. I paid enough attention to know what I was doing when I bathed myself, but as I did so, I sank deeper and deeper into my pain, losing all focus. My own words were stabbing at me and they hurt worse than any physical pain I could ever be put through.

I got out of the stream, dried off, changed, and washed my previous clothes, which now had new rips and tears from the previous day's occurrences. Again, I reminded myself that it was only a matter of time before I was out of clothes completely.

_Now what do I do?_

I drew a blank. There was no responsibility that needed to be immediately taken care of. Simba had not joined me this morning, so I could not apologize for my actions yet. None of the Pride was awake yet, so I had no known companions to talk to.

Suddenly, from behind me, I heard a twig snap.

"I am in no mood for games." I said rather harshly.

"Nor am I." said a calm and very familiar voice.

I whirled around and saw Simba standing several feet behind me.

"Simba…" I mumbled. Now was the perfect time to apologize. I had gone through this scenario many times in my head, but now when the moment was upon me, I could not think of what to say.

"Well, I guess we both knew this would happen." He said, half smiling. "You can say it."

Utterly perplexed, I replied, "Say what?"

"'I told you so.'" Simba said ashamedly, still half-smiling.

I opened my mouth but again, I found myself at a loss for words.

"I screwed up. And I know why. I know why you said what you said." He said, staring at the ground. Then he looked up at me. 'I am too inexperienced."

My mind found vocabulary again, and I instantly blurted out, "Simba no! Don't say that!"

He laughed without humor. "Why not? It's true! Why else would you have said it?"

"Because you were being stubborn, but that is still no excuse for saying what I did." I said desperately. My words had affected Simba in a worse way than I had expected. Not only did he believe that he was inexperienced, but he was accepting it and beating himself up over it.

"Isn't it?" He said incredulously. "You were right Ayden. Zira was up to something. I had every reason to believe you, and yet I didn't because I was too stubborn to listen to someone else."

"Simba, stop it!" I yelled at him. He looked at me, taken aback at my sudden change in volume. "Stop it! I had neither right nor reason to say what I said. I was angry and I let my emotions get the better of me! That's all there is to it. You are not inexperienced!"

"Oh yeah?" he challenged, "Name one thing that I did yesterday that shows my experience!"

"You bested Zira!" I said defiantly.

"Only after you helped, _while_ being horribly injured."

I stopped for a moment, trying to say something, but only an unintelligible sound came out. I shook it off, then spoke again, "You sent her and the rest of the traitors away!"

"Only after you decided that they should be banished instead of killed." He said in refutation.

I stopped, completely taken aback. "You can't be serious. You weren't _actually_ going to follow Scar's old laws and kill them…"

"I was seriously considering it." He admitted. "You were the one who did the right thing. You made the right and responsible decision, based on your previous experience. I don't know if I would have made that decision on my own. Face it Ayden, they're all right. You're right. I am inexperienced. You are the more worthy candidate for the Kingship."

I could not believe what I was hearing. Simba, my best friend Simba, the young cub who could not wait to be king, was actually saying that he didn't think he was right for the job.

What was I supposed to say?

Only one thing came to mind. One thing that could possibly make him feel better about himself. I would have to humiliate myself in order to make him feel better, but he was my best friend and my brother. I could not allow him to feel this way. I could not let him be alone in his misery. After all, misery loves company.

"There is another reason why I said what I said. A more prominent reason. It's still no excuse for me to say anything that cruel to you, but there is another reason" I told him slowly. He looked up at me, a strange knowing in his eyes.

"You knew there was something else to it, didn't you?" I asked when I recognized that look.

"How many times do I have to say it Ayden? You're my best friend. I can tell when something is wrong; something that was more than just the surface."

I sighed. "Well you're right about that."

It was my turn to laugh without humor.

"Simba", I started slowly, not knowing how to put it. I decided to go bluntly. "I'm jealous of you."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**----Simba----**

Of every possible thing that Ayden could have said to me, this had been the very last thing that I had expected.

"I'm sorry….you're _what_?" I stammered, unsure if I had heard correctly.

"You heard right." Ayden said, looking down at his feet. "I'm jealous of you."

Absolute bewilderment coursed through me. What on earth could Ayden be jealous of from me? He had experience, he was liked more by the Pride, he had bonds with them that I could never even hope to have, and he had wisdom beyond his years. All of these were things that I admired and respected in him because I had none of them. What could I possibly own that such a great young King could covet?

"What are you jealous of?" I asked slowly.

"Isn't it obvious?" he said matter-of-factly. "You are home here. You have everything that was taken from me. You have love and a family. You have bonds with others that I have long since lost. You are connected, through your bloodline, to this Pride. Look at me! I'm human. In all logical senses, I should not even be in this position! I shouldn't be seen as a leader, I should be seen as a threat! You already feel it! I should be seen as _food_! I should have been eaten by you all YEARS ago! Hell, I shouldn't even be able to _understand_ you! I have absolutely no biological ties or connections to you or anybody else in this Pride."

He shook violently, and fell to his knees. He turned his face from me to hide his tears.

I stood idiotically with my mouth hanging open. Ayden really was jealous of me. He saw that I had everything he truly desired, and we both knew that it was unfair, in every sense of the term.

When he spoke again, his voice was trembling as he suppressed his tears. "I may hide my pain from losing my family really well, but every day is a struggle without them. When I looked into Sarabi's eyes, I would always see my mother staring back at me. But now, it is getting less and less. Now, I am starting to see Sarabi, and not my mother. I'm growing up and I need my mother's guidance less and less, but now I am starting to miss her more than ever. It's like my family passing tore a hole in my chest, and nothing has been able to fill it."

I knew exactly what he was talking about. My father's death had left the exact same hole in my chest too. Though my life was happy, that hole had never been fully filled again.

"Sarabi is my adoptive mother, and I will always love her. You all are my adoptive family, and I love you all beyond anything else. I would die for you all if I had to. But it's not the same. I feel like an outsider. I'm the outcast who was placed in a position of power. I'm accepted, but I'm not acceptable. You trust me with your life, and yet even you let your instincts about me take over once. That alone proves that what I'm saying is true."

He looked up at me, tears streaming down his face. There was torture and pain in those eyes of his. His sadness became my own, and I realized that this truly was a constant struggle for him.

Ayden's confession got me around to myself, and I realized that my worries were insignificant, and in fact, not even plausible. So what did it matter that I was inexperienced? Whining about it and claiming that somebody else was better for the job that was rightfully mine was not going to fix it. Getting experience would take time, but it was easy enough to gain. However, what Ayden wanted and needed was something that needed immediate attention and it would take more than time to fix. He felt truly horrible for having the feelings he had.

"I can't feel this way." He said, wiping his tears and shaking his head. "I can't allow myself to feel this way. I _won't_. It's unnatural and it's wrong. I'm a human who is jealous of a lion because that lion has a family and a mate. I would be considered medically insane if I was back in my home and I felt this way!"

And with that, he spoke no more, but instead dissolved into silent, yet violent sobs. It was absolutely horrible. Never before had I seen Ayden in this state of misery and torment. I pitied him and felt sorry for him unlike I had for any other creature.

I walked forward and raised my paw. I placed it underneath his chin and moved his face up so that he was looking into my eyes.

"Ayden, I empathize with you 100%." I said, meaning every word. "I know what it feels like to lose a family member. I know that feeling of emptiness. And you are not insane for feeling the way you do. Anybody else in your position would be just as jealous. For some inexplicable reason, you can understand us. It is because of that understanding that you are in the position you hold today. It is that understanding that made you not only our leader, but our brother as well. What does it matter if we're not connected through bloodline? All that matters is what we feel here."

I lowered my paw and placed it gently on his chest where his heart lay beating underneath. He stared down at my paw, but did not look back up.

"Ayden, listen to me." I said softly, "I'm not saying that this feeling is a good feeling. But at least we know now why these recent events have happened. Now we can try to work on this and see if we can fix it."

He looked back up at me, and there was remorse in his eyes.

"Can you ever forgive me for what I said?" he whispered.

"Of course my brother." I replied, smiling. "And can you forgive me for not trusting you?"

"Absolutely." He said, tears falling down his face again. I removed my paw from his chest, and held it up for him. He reached around my neck and embraced me. As he did, I wrapped my paw over his shoulder, and embraced him back.


	6. Stranger

**Alrighty then...i know that i haven't updated since Christmas, and that's usually a long time for me. I'm sorry about that...i've just been busy...and, sadly, lazy. Lol, but don't worry! i won't just drop this story and make you wait 3 months before i update again...lol. I'll try to update once every few weeks at MOST.**

**As always, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!! i'm not kidding about that, PLEASE REVIEW! thats one of the main reasons that i write these, so that people will review! it lets me know that people are actually reading it. My reader traffic option only shows me how many people look at the PAGE that the story is on. It doesn't let me know if people are reading or if they're just glancing and deciding they don't want to read it! PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Enjoy!  
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Stranger**

**----Ayden----**

Three years passed since the banishment of the pride of lionesses that soon became known as the Outlanders. Not once did they dare set paw back in the Pride Lands for fear of losing their lives. Only on one occasion did a small encounter with Zira waver the peace that had been established.

Several months after the Outlander's banishment, Kiara, by then a six month old cub, had wandered off into the Outlands, where she had met none other than the cub Kovu. The two quickly became friends after a rather dangerous skirmish with a river full of crocodiles. However, Simba and our Pride caught the two cubs playing just as Zira appeared to snatch her adoptive son away. It quickly became clear, after some verbal combat with her, that Zira was filling Kovu's head with lies and hate, and that he would eventually grow into an angry and hateful lion. With this knowledge, Simba forbade Kovu from entering the Pride Lands as well, and Kiara never saw Kovu again.

Over the years, the issues that Simba and I had revealed to each other began to steadily get better. Unfortunately I never fully got over my jealous impulses, try as I might; so instead, I learned to live with them. By now I had learned to just brush it off whenever it popped up, telling myself that there was nothing to do for it. True, it still troubled me more than anything else, but I had learned to live with it. Simba was also working on his own habits. It was a struggle for him to avoid his natural instinct at all costs. There had been a few close calls, but they ended quickly with him regaining control of himself. He was also earning a lot of experience and respect from both the Pride and the Pride Landers.

Our personal issues were not the only things that changed with the years. We all were growing.

By now, I was almost 22 years old. Each day during my morning customs, shaving became a daily routine. Once every couple of weeks, I would cut my hair just to keep it in check. My facial features became more chiseled and refined and I actually gained more muscle with my continuing exercise and hunting. Simba always said he would never understand the ways of humankind, considering he would never dream of shaving his long mane.

Simba was growing as well. His mane finally reached full length as it extended down to his lower stomach. He gained more muscle, and he grew slightly in size. He no longer resembled a young and inexperienced lion, but a powerful and decent-sized adult.

Tanabi and Kiara had grown into two young, well-built adolescent lions. Tanabi greatly resembled his father. About the same in build, Tanabi was merely smaller than his father due to age. His mane had finally come in and fully covered his head and neck, though it only extended down to his upper chest. The only two clearly noticeable difference between the two was that Tanabi's mane was more of a brownish color rather than the rusty russet that his father sported and his eyes were the clear sapphire blue, like his mother's. Over time, it became clear that Tanabi was a natural born hunter. He quickly picked up stealth with no trouble at all, and before his mane even extended down his neck, he successfully killed an antelope on his own.

As Kiara grew, it became apparent that her build was a mix of both her mother and her grandmother, Sarafina. Curiously enough, her pelt still retained the unique apricot color she had at birth instead of lightening up. Her ruby eyes held the exact same kindness and compassion that both her father and grandmother, Sarabi, had. Kiara's hunting skills were far less honed than Tanabi's, but at the same time, Tanabi was four months older, so he would be more experienced. Kiara was good, she just needed more practice.

For a while, things went back to normal, or at least as normal as they could get. With Zira and the Outlanders gone from the Pride, the tension that I felt had lifted almost entirely, which allowed me to really focus on my task of taking care of the kingdom. The animals in the kingdom soon knew that I really was a good and kind king, and they finally learned to trust me.

But unfortunately, nothing lasts forever. On one peaceful and seemingly insignificant day, the arrival of one single stranger would forever change the future of the Pride Lands.

Simba and I had finished taking our morning stroll with Zazu who was filling us in on the goings-on of the kingdom. We had walked back to Pride Rock and walked up to stand on the ledge to simply observe the beautiful kingdom.

"You know," I sighed happily, "It's hard to believe that three years ago, this was nothing more than a dead and barren wasteland. If you would have told me then that in three years the Pride Lands would be greener than they ever had been, I would have said it was impossible."

Simba chuckled. "Nothing is impossible."

I smiled back at him and looked back out to the beautiful landscape.

Then a loud and savage roaring broke through the semi-silence, shattering all feelings of peace.

"What was that?" I asked alertly.

Simba pricked up his ears waiting for the sound again. He didn't have to wait very long. Within seconds, the roaring echoed again from the northwestern corner of the Pride Lands.

"That's Tanabi!" I said urgently.

"Get on!" Simba growled, and I jumped on his back without hesitation. Instantly, Simba was off like a rocket down the slope of Pride Rock, and soon he was sprinting to the northwest as fast as he could run. He roared several times to let Tanabi know that he was on his way.

Within seconds, we came upon a sight that I will not soon forget. Tanabi was standing triumphantly on top of another lion, pinning him down and striking him repeatedly. The lion made no move to attack back or even to defend himself. Instead, his right paw was raised in a form of submission.

I slid off of Simba's back quickly enough, for he had sprinted over to Tanabi and pulled him off of the strange lion.

"Enough Tanabi!" he shouted over Tanabi's roars. "Can't you see he surrendered?"

Panting heavily, Tanabi growled, "He's looking for Sarabi! I don't know…I thought he wanted to kill her."

The stranger stood up and I was able to get a good look at him. My mouth fell open, and I quickly closed it for fear that Simba might see.

_It can't be!_

This lion matched the exact description of Kamau, the cub that Sarabi had given birth to; the cub that was brought to life because she was raped by Scar.

His pelt was the exact same color of Scar's; rusty brown with a creamy underbelly and a flowing black mane that extended down to his upper chest. His face had Scar's nose and snout. However, that was the extent of how much he resembled Scar. His features were much more powerfully built, rather than the skinny and lanky build that Scar had. His face was not as pointed or harsh as Scar's had been; in fact, his face resembled Sarabi's immensely as gentleness and peace practically radiated off of it. His sparkling blue eyes held true kindness within their gaze.

_No, maybe it's not him! Maybe you're just worrying over nothing!_

"No," the stranger said, bowing his head to Simba. "No, your majesty, please understand that I had no intention of doing anything like that. I just wanted to see-"

Two more roars echoed out from behind us, and I turned to see, to my horror, Sarabi followed closely by Kiara. When Sarabi would lay eyes on Kamau, it would put the secret out in the open for everybody to see; for Simba to see.

My worst fear was about to come true.

Sarabi skidded to a halt next to Simba.

"What's going on here?" she asked urgently, staring around at the scene she just arrived on. "What-"

She cut off abruptly. Her eyes rested on the new stranger, and my worst thoughts were confirmed. This _was_ Kamau. The look in her eyes confirmed it. Shock, fear, and overwhelming joy melded together and reflected in Sarabi's eyes as she looked upon her youngest son. Unmistakable tears of joy sprang to them.

Kamau looked up at his mother.

"S-Sa-Sarabi?" He stammered, tears welling in his eyes as well.

I chanced a glance at Simba, who looked utterly perplexed at the two lion's reactions to each other.

I looked back at Sarabi and Kamau, who I expected to run to each other and embrace. Instead, Sarabi did exactly the opposite. For a while, she simply stared at Kamau with disbelief and joy. She took several unsure steps backward and to everybody's astonishment, turned around and sprinted out of sight.

Instantly, my fear was subdued. Not permanently, but at least now would not be the time for revelations. Simba would not know the secret.

At least not yet…

"Hey, where are you going?" Simba called out to his mother, but it was pointless. Sarabi was already too far away, running at incredible speeds. Simba sighed and looked back at Kamau, whose face had fallen. Instead of the joy it once reflected, it was now filled with sadness and rejection.

Tanabi spoke up to break the silence. "His name's Kamau, Dad."

"Well Kamau," Simba said, glancing back at the spot where Sarabi had once been. "I'm sorry for what happened. If it is business that you have, you're welcome to stay until she returns. Please feel free to stay as long as you like. I don't know what's gotten into her."

"Neither do I," Kamau replied dejectedly, raising a paw to wipe his tears.

_That makes three of us._ I thought to myself.

"Are you ok?" Simba asked him concernedly.

"Yes, I'm fine. Sorry."

Simba, who was wholly oblivious at this moment, (a fact I was overwhelmingly grateful for) smiled at Kamau and motioned to Pride Rock. "Home is this way. Follow us. Hakuna Matata! No worries! We'll get you sorted out." And he started to make his way to Pride Rock.

"Erm…Simba?" I said tentatively. He looked around at me, smiling.  
"What's up?" he asked.

"I was actually thinking that maybe I could show Kamau the way? I would kinda like a word alone with him for a moment."

"Yeah…" he said slowly, a confused look on his face. "Sure. Just don't be long."

"Hakuna Matata." I said happily. "We'll be there shortly after you guys."

With that, Simba looked at Kamau one last time, and then he, Kiara, and Tanabi set off to Pride Rock.

I turned around faced Kamau who was staring at me with the utmost confusion. I knew perfectly well why. I had seen that look on the faces of hundreds of Pride Landers before.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that you've _probably _never seen somebody like me before," I said lightly.

"Well, no," he said. He looked away again to the spot where Sarabi had been. "And not to be rude, but what do you want with me?"

Slightly taken aback I said, "Well if you don't know who I am then what does it matter what I have to say?"

Kamau opened his mouth to say something, but closed it immediately. He knew I was right.

"I am King Ayden, the second King of the Pride Lands alongside King Simba. I have a few questions for you before I can tell you what I have to say."

Kamau looked up at me bewilderedly. "YOU'RE King Ayden?" he asked in disbelief. "You're a human? My goodness, your highness, please forgive me for saying so, but you look nothing like a monkey."

I chuckled. "Is that what Yetunde told you I looked like?"

Kamau stared at me in even more disbelief than he had a second ago. His mouth hung open.

"How did you know that Yetunde told me about you?" he whispered.

"I know a lot more about you than you would think," I replied.

"How?" he asked quietly.

"Sarabi is my mother too. My adoptive mother, but my mother nonetheless. She is the reason I know so much about you."

He stared at me incredulously for a moment, and then looked away. "What would you like to know, your majesty?"

"Well firstly, don't call my 'your majesty' please. Just Ayden will be fine," I said smiling.

"Oh, ok then," he said smiling slightly, but then it was gone.

"Now," I began, "I've noticed that you are alone. Where is Yetunde?"

At my words, Kamau bowed his head and suddenly I understood.

"She's passed on?" I asked quietly.

He nodded. "About a year-and-a-half ago. She died trying to protect me from a pack of hyenas."

"Then may she rest in peace. She's with her family and friends with the Kings of the Past now."

"She was like a mother to me," Kamau said, tears in his eyes. "She took care of me. She loved me. She always told me stories of my mother. How she loved me more than any mother ever loved a child. How giving me up was the hardest decision she ever had to make."

He looked up at me, his eyes reflecting a rejection I had never known. "And now she doesn't even want to see me."

I sighed. "Kamau, I am the only person that Sarabi told about your existence, and let me tell you this; Sarabi loves you unconditionally. I've never seen such a longing in her eyes until after she gave you up. Sarabi loves you."

"Then why did she run away like that?" he asked defiantly.

"I'm not positive," I said, "but your appearance was certainly shocking for me. To be honest, neither of us were expecting you to show up again. So your sudden appearance may have been too much for her to take in all at once. I'm sure once she's over the shock, she'll be overjoyed that you're back. After all, you are her son."

Kamau's face lightened at my words, but I knew that he would not be entirely convinced until he heard this from Sarabi herself.

"Now, I only have one more question," I said, and I began to worry. This was the one question I dreaded the answer to.

"What did Yetunde tell you of your father?"

Kamau still stared at his paws. "Nothing," he replied.

The dread vanished instantly. So he didn't know. Which meant that he couldn't tell Simba, which meant that for now, the secret was still safe.

"Yetunde never told me anything of my father," Kamau continued. "She told me that she never knew him. I think she did, but she didn't want to tell me." He perked his ears and looked up at me curiously. "Why? Did you know my father?"

I opened my mouth to answer "yes", but thought better of it. What was I going to say? That his father was a brutal, bloodthirsty tyrant?

On one hand, Kamau deserved to know the truth about his parentage. Nobody deserved to be kept in the dark about their past. And he really wanted to know. I could see it in his eyes.

On the other hand, if he knew about his father's identity, he could accidentally let it slip to Simba, and everything would be ruined. I was still unsure of how Simba would react if he discovered that his mother was raped by Scar.

I decided to play it safe. "Yes. I knew him, but it is not my place to reveal who he is."

_That's Sarabi's responsibility; after all, she's the one he's seeking answers from_, I thought to myself.

Kamau sighed. "Everybody I ask refuses to tell me the answer. I'm beginning to think that maybe I don't want to know my father's identity."

I bit my lip, but said nothing. Turning away so Kamau wouldn't see, I looked around at Pride Rock. I squinted as a glint of golden-brown caught my eye.

Simba was standing at the edge of Pride Rock, looking out in my direction. Quickly, I turned back to Kamau.

"I'll make this quick then," I said urgently. "Kamau, this is very important, and it should not be taken lightly. Do I have your full attention?"

He stared at me, eyebrows contracted. Slowly, he nodded.

"Okay, listen to me," I said. "If and/or when you find out who your father is, you _cannot_ tell anybody, _especially_ Simba. Trust me on this one; it will be bad enough if you find out, but if Simba does…"

I trailed off, hoping that he would get the message. Kamau continued to stare at me for a moment. Then after a few seconds, he spoke.

"Yetunde was right. Humans are strange." He said this more to himself than me. "Alright Ayden, I'll trust you. If I ever find out the identity of my father, then Simba will never know."

I sighed with relief. At least now Kamau had a basic understanding of the situation. "Good. Now c'mon, we better get going."

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**Expect an update within two weeks, AT THE MOST. The next chapter is really exciting! Just be patient, and remember... REVIEW!!!**


	7. Instinctive Hatred

**Hello again readers...I'm sorry for the wait. I've just started my second semester of college, and I kinda need to get in the groove of that again before i can continue writing. I'm about halfway done with chapter 8 by now, so it should be up within a week, maybe two.**

**Once again, i MUST ask you NOT to ask me when i'm going to update. I'm sure you would rather wait a little longer and get a great chapter than get one crappy chapter per day. Please be patient. I have no intention of dropping this story anytime soon.  
**

**The initial title for this chapter was "The Big Cat's Out of the Bag", but I figured that would be just a _little_ cheesy...lol. **

**I would like to take a moment to say thank you to my readers, ESPECIALLY MysticGohan88, TonyBoy, and BookRose, all of whom have faithfully read and reviewed EVERY chapter I've written in both this story and the last. Thanks a bunch guys! At least somebody reviews! *wink wink hint hint***

**...please readers? Do I have to get on my knees and beg just to get you to take 30 seconds from your lives to click that little button at the bottom of the chapter and write what you thought of it? Please?**

**Here's chapter 7!**

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**Chapter 7 – Instinctive Hatred**

**----Simba----**

When we arrived back at Pride Rock, I ascended the slope to see if Ayden and Kamau were on their way yet. To my surprise, they were still talking about a mile out to the northwest. I watched them both for a while. With my keen vision, I could still see them despite the distance.

At one point, Ayden turned to look back at Pride Rock. I could have sworn he saw me because as soon as he did, he turned back to Kamau and started moving and gesturing in a hurried and jerky way.

So he _was_ trying to hide something. Why else would he have wanted to speak to a rogue lion privately? But _what_ he was trying to hide, I hadn't the slightest clue.

I'd never seen this lion before, and to the best of my knowledge, neither had Ayden. And yet for some strange reason, when I first saw him, I felt a connection. His eyes were so trusting and good that it was hard to remember that he was a stranger in our lands. Somehow, I felt a connection to him as if I _did_ know him. Was this some lion that we knew _of_? I didn't recognize him from any stories or tales.

Within a minute, Ayden had turned around and started making his way to Pride Rock, closely followed by Kamau. I watched them for a moment, turned around, and went back down so I could greet Kamau again.

…and ask Ayden what he was keeping from me.

Several minutes later, Ayden and Kamau ascended the slope. I smiled at them both, but kept my eyes on Ayden.

"Welcome back guys!" I said warmly. They both smiled at me. Ayden walked over to me while Kamau wandered off on his own along the promontory.

"So…"I said slowly, "do you mind telling me what that was all about?"

"Well," he said quickly, "Do you remember some of the lionesses who were here during your cubhood?"

"Sure I do," I said, slightly confused. "Why?"

"Do you remember Yetunde?"

I thought back for a moment until my memory rested on a kind face with shimmering eyes and a wise smile.

"Yeah, didn't you say she ran away when Scar was in power?" I asked, trying to remember what he had said happened to her.

"She did, yeah." Ayden replied. "And I don't think I ever told you that she had another with her."

I contracted my brow and stared at him. "Who?"

"She took a cub with her. Whether or not it was hers, I'm not sure." He said quickly. "During that time, Scar would have killed any and all cubs that he had not fathered, so Yetunde decided that since she was running away, she would save the cub's life. I remember what the cub had looked like, and Kamau looks exactly like that cub did."

My eyes widened as he told me this. Now it started to make some sense.

"So what did you ask him?" I asked curiously.

"I asked him if he knew of a lioness by the name of Yetunde."

"And?" I urged.

"He said yes. He says that she raised him."

I sighed. "So he is one of us then? A Pride member?"

"Yes."

"Did he say what happened to Yetunde?" I asked as the thought came to me.

"He said that she died about a year-and-a-half ago."

"Then may she rest in peace with the Kings of the Past," I said, bowing my head.

"I thought that if this was the cub that Yetunde had taken, and since she was not with him," Ayden explained, "That if he was asked, it might be a touchy subject for him; one that does not require an audience."

Now I understood. Ayden's explanation cleared up everything. Only one thing still seemed to trouble me.

Ayden, while he sounded sincere in his explanation, seemed strange and somewhat distant. It was as if he wasn't telling me the entire truth.

I glanced over at Kamau who sat alone near the entrance of the cave. I looked back at Ayden.

"Mind if I spend some time with him alone?" I asked. "I would like to get to know him, and maybe see if he knows about his Pride here."

"Yeah, sure!" he said happily. Maybe a bit too happily, I noticed. "I've got a few things to take care of anyways. Zazu says the new herd of elephants are bathing in the watering hole, so I'm gonna have to clear that matter up."

"Have fun with that!" I chuckled, turning to go to Kamau.

I noticed that he looked weary and saddened for some reason.

"Hey, you ok?" I asked. "You seem awfully quiet."

He jerked his head up as I addressed him. "Oh, I'm fine your Majesty. I'm just a little tired from my travels."

I chuckled again. "Really, there's no need to call me 'your Majesty' or anything like that. I've never really gotten used to it. Just Simba is fine."

He smiled. "That's what Ayden told me too."

I laughed. "I guess you could say we're somewhat of an informal monarchy."

It was so strange! I felt as if I had known Kamau all my life, and yet I knew for a fact that I had never even seen him before. There was such a familiarity about him but I just couldn't place it.

"Take a walk with me?" I asked.

He smiled and nodded. I turned and walked towards the pathway that leads to the peak of Pride Rock. It was such a peaceful and wonderful place. My father had taken me there on occasion, usually to teach me how to rule the lands. There were many fond memories on that peak.

We reached the top and I turned back to Kamau.

"After you," I said happily. He walked past me and sat on the very edge of the peak, staring out in awe at the Pride Lands, marveling at their size and beauty.

As I sat next to him and stared out as well, my father's words resurfaced in my memory…the memory of my first day of teachings with my father.

"Everything the light touches…" I said aloud, just as Kamau did the exact same.

I stared at him incredulously, bewildered at the coincidence.

"How did you know that?" I asked curiously.

Kamau shifted uneasily. "Erm…someone told it to me. I just never really believed it until now."

He was so familiar! Why couldn't I place it? He had more of a stride rather than a walk, and an ease about him that not many lions possessed. His eyes were kind and open, and yet they seemed to harbor some sort of secret.

"Can you tell me about yourself Kamau?" I asked. Maybe if he told me a bit about himself then I would be able to place where I knew him from. "If you don't want to tell me something, I respect your right to keep it private."

"There's not much to hide," he said, tearing his eyes from the landscape to look at me. "I was adopted by a kind and wise lioness who took me on her travels with her as I was growing up. She told me everything there was to know about the gift of life and everything in it. I truly respected her. But as my mane began to grow, she was killed by hyenas, and I became a lone rogue. I stumbled upon many lands until now, when I arrived here."

I longed to ask him if this lioness was Yetunde, even though I knew it was. However, I had told him that I would respect his right to his privacy, and he had not revealed her name on his own, so I thought of another way to word the question.

"Do you know who your parents were? You say you were adopted."

Kamau looked away from me at the ground. It was yet another touchy subject with him, for he did not answer right away.

"I never knew my parents," He replied.

I listened intently for any wavering in his voice, but there was none. Perhaps he was telling the truth. Or he could just be a good liar. Either way, his parentage would remain a secret from me for the time being.

Having nothing else to say, I simply replied, "Oh."

Kamau looked back up at me and changed the subject. "How long have these lands been in your family?"

I smiled and recited our family history. "They go back about five generations. It started with my great-great grandfather King Maphunde. It was his son, King Mohatu that became the legendary King of our time and the first star of the Great Kings. He passed on the throne to King Ahadi, who in turn passed it on to my father, King Mufasa. During King Mufasa's time, a human came to us in desperate need."

"Ayden," Kamau replied.

"Exactly," I said, smiling. "He came, injured, starving, and very close to death. My parents took him in as a son and he became one of us; one of the Pride. That was almost seven years ago. When the time came for me to take the throne, I decided that Ayden would be an equal King alongside myself."

Kamau frowned for a moment. "Wasn't there another before the two of you?"

At his words, the smile on my face vanished and I became very stern.

"Scar will never be recognized as a King. He murdered my father, the rightful King and attempted to kill me so he could have the throne. During his rule, he tortured and killed many members of the Pride. Ayden was one of the lucky ones to survive his two-and-a-half year tyranny."

I yawned and suddenly I realized how sleepy I was, despite it being midday.

"I'm beat," I said, "I think I'm gonna go take a nap. You're more than welcome to join us in the den when you need to sleep."

"Thank you Simba," Kamau said warmly.

I nodded in response and turned to descend. I looked back and saw that he was still standing at the edge, looking out to the Pride Lands.

"You wanna stay up here for a while?" I asked.

"If you don't mind," he replied kindly.

I smiled and left.

A lot was going through my mind on the descent down.

Kamau was hiding some things from me, mainly his parentage. Whether or not he actually knew about them, I was unsure. But I would not press the matter. Kamau seemed to be a very kind and gentle lion, and if he had something to hide, then it was probably for good reason.

I reached the base and entered the cave. I turned the corner and suddenly found myself face to face with my mom.

"Whoa!" I said, startled. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Nothing," She said tentatively. "I was just about to go take a walk."

She pushed past me quickly and before I could open my mouth, she had rounded the corner, and gone out of sight. Instinctively, I turned and followed her. When I got to the edge of the cave, I looked all around. I just barely caught a glimpse of her tail as she ascended the slope that I had just descended.

I narrowed my eyes and quietly began to ascend the slope after her. She had run from Kamau earlier and now she was going to see him…while trying to avoid me.

Something was up.

The top plateau came into view, but I stopped short of it, making sure I was out of sight. I was able to hear my mother's and Kamau's words.

"You do love me. You really do love me," Kamau said, and I realized that he was sobbing. "I thought you didn't. I thought you didn't want me."

"I adore you Kamau," she replied. "I love you more than you'll ever know. I loved you the whole time you were growing up. I loved you even when I wasn't there. I'm so sorry Kamau. I only did what I thought was best."

This made no sense at all. Why on earth was my mother telling Kamau that she loved him? How did she even know him?

"I think it's time we had a talk," Mother said to him quietly.

"I think so too," Kamau replied.

I heard several shuffling sounds that meant the two of them had lain down. When they were comfortable, Mother spoke first.

"Kamau, you have come alone. Where is Yetunde? I would very much like to speak with her."

"Yetunde passed some time ago in a valley we roamed on our travels," he replied solemnly.

I already knew that, but I became even more confused. He did not reveal this information to me, but he revealed it to my mother? Why?

"Then may the gods rest her soul," Mom sighed. "I am truly indebted to her."

"Can you tell me anything about yourself, Mother?" Kamau asked. "About my family?"

_What?!_

There was no way that it could be possible. It was some sort of trick. It had to be. Surely I had heard wrong, because Kamau had not just called Sarabi "mother".

I waited for mom to say something to put aside my worries…

She sighed and spoke. "I'm what you call the life of this pride. I suppose you could say they look to me for guidance and understanding. I was born many years ago in this valley, the only child to my family. I loved my life. I loved the cubs I grew up with and the lions we came to be. Life seemed perfect for me. But then everything went down and all whom I loved I lost. The tyrannical ruler Scar was bloodthirsty and merciless, and I suffered above everyone else. When things went from bad to worse, I knew you could not stay with me if you were to even reach cubhood. That's why I gave you to Yetunde, in the hopes that you would find a better life. And by the looks of things, you did ok."

_How is this even possible! Kamau CAN'T be mom's son! He just CAN'T be! Why would she even have another son? Who could have possibly fathered him?_

These troubling thoughts and more bounced wildly back and forth within my skull. My head started to spin slightly from the information, and I sat down to let it stop.

"I suppose Kamau…" Mom said with a sigh, "that it would be impossible to hide from you what family you have. Growing up, I was betrothed to a wonderful lion, and that lion was destined to become King of the Pride Lands. I loved him deeply, and our love for each other produced a healthy cub, our future King. All was lost when his brother Scar killed him and banished our cub. But our cub returned and, with the help of my adoptive son Ayden, regained the throne in the name of his father: his father Mufasa."

"Y-you mean…Simba…Simba's my brother!?" Kamau stammered as the exact same thought ran though my head.

_Kamau is my brother?!_

"Your half-brother at least."

Suddenly, it all made sense. Mother's behavior, Kamau's secrets, and _even Ayden_ knew about this. Everybody was behaving in strange ways today, and it became clear why; why Ayden had hung behind with Kamau to talk to him, why Mother had run off when she had seen him, and why Kamau was so secretive. It was all to keep this big secret from me.

I stood up, unable to sit there hiding in silence any longer. I walked up and came to a halt on the top of the plateau. Kamau and Mom were sitting on the edge of the peak. Neither one had noticed my sudden appearance.

"Simba doesn't know about me then…does he?"

Mother shook her head. "No. He has no idea that I had another child."

Kamau looked up at her and asked, "Why?"

"Yeah Mom, why didn't you tell me?" I asked aloud, restraining the anger in my voice.

Both of them looked up at me, Kamau looking startled and mother…fearful.

_She should be_, I thought savagely.

There was no point in beating around the bush, so I flat out asked the one question that I wanted the answer to. When I spoke, my voice was cold. Only once had I spoken like that before; when Ayden and I were confronting Scar.

"Mother, who is his father?"

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**----Ayden----**

Tension.

That's all I felt the moment I saw Simba walking off with Kamau. For the last ten minutes, I paced around the den, terrified that at any given moment something would happen that would blow the entire secret.

At one point while I was pacing, Sarabi wandered into the den.

"Hey," I said when I saw her, but before I could even walk to her, she was already around the corner. However, she was not out of sight. Her hindquarters were still within view, for she had bumped into some unseen lion around the corner. I jumped as I recognized the lion's voice.

"Whoa! Hey, what are you doing here?" Simba said, startled.

"Nothing," she replied quickly. "I was just going for a walk."

Then she disappeared from sight. I heard Simba turn swiftly and follow her seconds afterward. I bit my lip, debating whether or not to follow. Thinking better of it, I decided to stay put. Sarabi was not about to blow the secret any time soon. I, however, was in a heightened state of tension and I was not entirely in control of my emotions. I feared that if I were put in a position of questioning, that I might accidentally let it slip.

I resumed my pacing, falling back into my deep and troubling thoughts. Only once had I ever felt this kind of tension. That was nearly three-and-a-half years ago when I had finally decided to assassinate Scar and Zira, which I had failed to do so. That exact same fear of the unknown was back again, only now it was not a ruthless tyrant that I feared, but my own brother and best friend.

I knew I needed to clear my head. I could not keep going like this or I would end up in an emotional mess. I decided that maybe a nice walk would do me some good.

I wandered around the corner and out of the den into the sunlight. I stared around at the beautiful landscape, trying to marvel at its beauty. Yet each thought I tried to plant in my head was uprooted by the fear of how Simba would react.

I breathed in deep and turned to descend down into the lands.

"KAMAU! SIMBA DON'T!"

Sarabi's unmistakable scream of terror for her two sons exploded like a cannon from above me. I whipped my head up and felt my stomach plummet.

Kamau was dangling by his front paws from the peak of Pride Rock. Simba stood over him, his face a hateful slab of cold stone.

"NO!" I screamed as I sprinted to the pathway that led up to the peak. "SIMBA! NO! DON'T DO IT!"

I was about halfway around the slope when Tanabi and Kiara came sprinting up. Tanabi slipped between my legs and I found myself on his back. Behind us I heard more footprints, and I looked around to see a good portion of the Pride following.

Within seconds, we reached the top and found Simba standing in the same place he was before, glaring at Sarabi whose face was streamed with tears. She was trying as hard as she could to get around him and help Kamau, who dangled precariously from the edge. However, Simba blocked her every attempt.

I got off Tanabi's back as he spoke to Simba.

"Father…what have you done?" he asked tensely.

Simba whipped his head around and stared at all three of us. He spoke in a loud voice that was directed at the entire pride, though he only said our names. "Tanabi, Kiara, Ayden…I would like to introduce you to Kamau, the son of Scar and Sarabi."

Simba turned his cold eyes on me and I shrank back a bit.

"But you already knew that, didn't you brother?" he hissed at me.

I gulped, but stood firm. "I did what I thought was best. Best for myself, for you, for Kamau, but mostly…for Sarabi."

Tanabi and Kiara stared over at me open mouthed, as did the rest of the Pride. From within the crowd, Nala pushed through and came to my side. All the while, she stared at her mate in a way she had never looked at him. It was a mix of fear and concern.

"Simba," she said calmly, "This is not you. This is not who you are!"

"Do you know who _he_ is?" he snapped back harshly, looking back at Kamau who struggled to hold on for his life.

Nala recoiled slightly from his reaction. Simba turned back to Tanabi and Kiara.

"This also means that he's your uncle."

"But Daddy!" Kiara cried, "He's hanging off the ledge! You have to help him!"

Simba sat up to his full height, and looked at us all coldly. That look was only on his face once; when he and I were battling Scar. It was a look of pure loathing. One that was not familiar with his face.

"This is the son of the lion that killed your grandfather. This is the son of the lion that raped your bibi Sarabi. This is the son of the lion that destroyed the Pride Lands, killed your bibi Sarafina, and starved our Pride!"

"But he means us no harm!" Kiara cried.

Simba was unmoved.

"Simba." I said sternly. I knew that I was the only one who would be willing to stop him. "Move. NOW."

He growled at me. "I will do no such thing."

From below the ledge, Kamau cried out, "Somebody help! I'm slipping!"

I withdrew my knife from my pocket and poised my arm to throw it. My target: Simba's foreleg.

"I'm gonna say it one more time Simba. Move, or I will make you."

The entire pride stared at the two of us. Their two kings, not only arguing, but threatening each other. However, to my surprise, nobody made a move to stop me. Even Sarabi stared at me, but made no motion nor sound to stop me.

Simba stared at me in disbelief. He opened his mouth to say something, but he stopped in mid-movement. Then his expression changed. His eyes contracted and he stared at me in a way he never had before, and I knew why.

Simba had given into his instincts now. He now gave into that aggression that he felt towards me.

He lowered himself to the ground, and pounced at me. Instinctively, I ducked and rolled forward as he passed overhead. He landed in front of the Pride, and turned on the spot with a roar. Behind me, I heard Kamau grunt as he continued to hold on for his life. I turned and reached down to try and get a grip on him.

Simba roared again and he leapt at me once more. Again, I rolled away barely avoiding his claws. When I regained my composure again, I turned and waited for Simba to pounce again, but he did not. He was standing in a defensive position near Kamau, staring at me coldly.

"You would hurt me to save him? The son of the monster who caused you so much pain and suffering? You would hurt me, not only your best friend but your _brother_, to save the son of your sworn enemy?"

He roared at me in defiance, turned around and lunged at Kamau. For one brief moment, I thought Simba was helping him up until I heard Kamau roared in pain. My knife slipped from my hand which was shaking.

Simba had latched onto Kamau's paws and was holding onto him with his own, exactly the way that Scar had done to him on the night we regained the throne.

"Do it now then Ayden!" he screamed savagely. "Make me move now! Send us both over the edge!"

My mouth fell open, and my legs began to shake from absolute terror and shock. I fell to my knees, tears springing to my eyes. I had no idea just how much this aggression that Simba felt towards me, as well as Kamau now, had taken over him. It was too strong for him to control. Nor had I any idea of how far he would go if he succumbed to it. He was willing to go to extremes far beyond I could have imagined.

Simba leaned forward to Kamau and hissed in his ear, "I can end it all here...I can avenge my father right now, and toss you from this cliff. I can take your life as easily as your father took my father's."

"Simba please!" Sarabi cried through sobs, "Don't kill him! Don't kill him, please!"

"Dad…" Tanabi said quietly, taking a step forward. "Dad?"

Simba stared over at his son, locks of his russet mane waving over his hateful and fiery eyes.

"Great Uncle Scar killed my baba Mufasa out of hatred and greed, regardless of the fact that he was his own brother. Will you do that? Will you kill your own brother out of hatred? Please, Dad. Don't be like Scar. Don't do what he did. You're better than that and I know it. I've seen it in you. This isn't the lion I love so much. My father would never do something like this."

Simba's eyes trembled with tears as he stared into he wise eyes of his son.

"But this is Scar's son... this is the son of the lion who destroyed these lands. Who destroyed our _Pride_."

"But he is not Scar himself," Tanabi said simply, smiling at his father.

Simba closed his eyes, and a single tear escaped down his muzzle.

"Please Simba…"I whispered, more to myself than anyone else. I prayed that he would do the right thing. I prayed he would let go of his hate.

A single silent moment passed. Simba looked down at Kamau. Then he leaned down and grabbed Kamau by the scruff of the neck, and heaved him up and back onto the plateau with all his strength.

Kamau breathed heavily as he lay on the ground, clearly thankful that he was still alive. Sarabi rushed forward and began nuzzling him through tears.

Simba looked at Kamau once, but he could not bear to look at him after that. He tore his gaze away and sighed.

"Forgive me."

And with that, Simba turned and pushed his way through the Pride, down the slope and out of sight. I stood up and watched over the edge as he sprinted down to the very base of Pride Rock, and out to the east, to a large crevice near the horizon.

The gorge.

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**Ok then...now that you're done with this chapter, can you please click the little green button below that says "Review" and give an opinion? It will only take like 30 seconds to a minute if you do...please?**


	8. The Hardest Thing To Do

**Alrighty guys...its time for another update. I kinda got lazy with my writing, so thats why it took this long. But now you have it. And PLEASE remember...I'm just as much into the story as you are. I'm not about to drop it or stop it anytime soon, so just remember that if you think of writing "please update" in your review. I'm making sure that what you read is the best you can get. Just be patient. =P**

**On another note, this Thursday, February 12, 2009, I will be gone for five days. I'm taking a field trip with my Geology class down to Death Valley, and I won't be back until Monday night. Its a barren desert LITERALLY in the middle of nowhere, so I won't have ANY internet (or cellphone...dang THAT SUCKS) connection the entire time. So don't expect any updates within the next week. **

**HOWEVER, i'm already almost done writing Chapter 9 right now, and I'm hoping to have it finished today so i can send it to Dan and Cathy. I would LIKE to have that uploaded by Thursday afternoon, but it all just depends on how fast we work.**

**Not to give anything away, but these next few chapters are going to be tense...ESPECIALLY one that I GUARANTEE you're gonna hate me for when it comes out. Thats all i'm telling you.**

**So enough babble...let's READ!**

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**Chapter 8 – The Hardest Thing to Do**

**----Simba----**

_Father…_

His face was more clearly visible in my mind than it had ever been before. I only knew one thing.

I had to speak to him. Whether or not he spoke back, I needed to speak to him.

His body had not been moved from the gorge after his death as decreed by the law of Ahadi. So perhaps there, where he rested, I might have a better chance of speaking with him.

My pace never slowed. No obstacle could or would stop me. I was determined to get to the gorge and speak with my father, more so now than I had ever before. Now, more than ever, I needed his guidance.

Tears leaked down my face as I ran. Tears of sorrow for those I had just hurt. Tears of fear for what I had done…what I had, in those brief moments, become.

There had only been one other lion whom I had hated that much. But Kamau was not Scar, and yet I treated him as if they were one and the same.

And Ayden…

More tears fell as I came to terms with what I had done to Ayden. _My brother!_ For God's sake, why did I give in to my instincts? Why had I let my hatred overcome me? I almost killed my own brother, and why? Because he was trying to stop me from being a monster!

I roared out loud for sake of my internal agony.

I sped up, all the more desperate to get to the gorge.

Though I ran at full speed, it still seemed many ages later before I finally reached the gorge. As I descended down the rocky path, my mind misery increased, for I knew I would have to stop running soon. As soon as I would, I knew I needed to come to full terms with my actions.

In an attempt to stem my misery, I glanced around at my surroundings. Old memories of this place stirred like dust on a busy pathway. Considering that I had only been in this gorge one time, those memories weren't exactly helpful.

As I ran along the base of the gorge, a strange phenomenon occurred. Whether it was a sign from my father, or if it was just my imagination, I am not sure.

I saw, as clearly as if it were happening at that moment, the stampede of wildebeest careening down the slope of the gorge, dust steadily rising as their numbers increased.

It was like I was transported back in time to that day; The day when all of our misery and suffering began.

The stampede quickly caught up and was running all around me, braying and crying out in fear of some unknown enemy that chased them. The noise was incredible and frightening all the same.

A short, dead tree lay broken on the ground, where it was repeatedly trampled on by the fleeing wildebeest.

I gulped and more tears fell. I knew what was coming next. I slowed and stopped. The wildebeest simply ran around me.

The younger, smaller me was flung from the tree into the waiting jaws of my father as he bravely ran for safe cover, for my life.

I looked up just in time to see a lone figure climb determined up the cliff only to fall suddenly, descending rapidly through the dust from a great height. The thick cloud of dust only just barely obscured the darker figure that stood on the ledge above my falling father.

My father's scream of terror and betrayal mingled with another voice, a younger and scratchier one, as it cried out.

"NO!"

Just before my father hit the ground, there was a flash…

And everything was quiet.

The wildebeest had all disappeared.

The dust was gone.

Everything was calm and still.

Yet the noise still rang in my ears.

I glanced around, unsure if what I had just seen was real or not. Then my eyes rested on a small patch of green grass.

Time stood still as I focused on that one small patch.

I sighed and slowly walked to it.

My father's body had been fully integrated within the circle of life now. For a moment, I remembered back when I was cub and he was teaching me about ruling a kingdom.

"_Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance." He said kindly. "As King, you must understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope."_

"_But Dad, don't we eat the antelope?" I had asked confusedly._

"_Yes Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass and the antelope eat the grass." He explained. "And so, we are all connected in the great Circle of Life."_

I stared down into the thriving green patch as I reminisced on his teachings. A slight breeze blew through the air and rustled the grass. A sweet, almost familiar scent wafted from the patch.

Silent tears fell down my muzzle as I thought more and more about him and what he would think of his son now.

"Father…" I whispered. "Father…please forgive me. Forgive me for almost making the most devastating mistake of my life. Forgive me for my anger…my spite...my _hatred_…"

I bowed my head, hoping that I would receive some sign…some form of acknowledgement.

"Simba?"

I glanced up quickly but bowed my head again almost instantly.

Never had it even crossed my mind that Kamau would even think of following me, especially considering what I had just done to him. And yet, here he was standing before me.

Hesitantly, he took a step forward, waiting for me to say something.

I sighed and looked up at him. "This is my father's resting place. This is where it happened."

I looked back down at the patch, which rustled ever so quietly in the breeze. "This is where he fell."

Kamau stared at me, his eyes welling up. He stared at me, seeming to search for something internal…

I had to break the silence. "Kamau, I'm shocked that you even came down here. I'm surprised that you followed me after…well, after what happened."

"Simba…" Kamau said pleadingly, "Please forgive me."

"No." I said abruptly, and Kamau looked up at me. "No, forgive me."

He stared at me, a mixture of confusion and curiosity on his face.

"I should not have said what I said, or done what I did," I said. "I almost committed the same mistake that Scar made all those years ago. I was overtaken by hate, and a thirst for vengeance. Forgive me for almost giving you what you did not deserve."

Kamau nodded slightly before saying, "I forgave you as I dangled over the ledge. You did not know, and I understand how you felt. I am the son of your father's killer."

To say that I was startled by Kamau's response would be an understatement. I stared at him, wide-eyed, amazed at his capacity for goodness and forgiveness. I was amazed that he would forgive me for such a hateful act _while _I was in the middle of doing it.

When I spoke, it came out barely a whisper. "You were an inch away from death, me being your killer, and you forgave me so easily?"

Kamau smiled. "One thing I learned was to forgive those who do wrong to you. Yetunde told me that the gentle, understanding nature of our mother was what brought me to forgive so easily."

This brought another though to my mind.

"I don't think our mother has forgiven Scar for everything that has happened. I don't think she's forgiven him for what he did to her."

"I think she has." Kamau replied. "In her own way she has, as long as he rests at peace. I know it in my heart."

He then moved forward to the grassy patch and bowed his head. He was whispering words that, while I could not hear all of them, I knew were respectful and humble. He was speaking to my father.

So much wisdom from such a young lion. Such wisdom could have been passed down only through my father. He was, indeed, Mufasa's nephew. He truly was my mother's son, and he was, indeed, my brother.

_My brother..._

Ayden's face swam into my subconscious, and I sighed deeply. How could he ever forgive me for what I had done?

I needed to not think about that right now. I needed to focus on one issue at a time. Kamau was prominent at this moment, however Ayden would be my next focus.

After a moment, Kamau finally looked up when he finished speaking.

"Kamau, you never told me what you truly came here for."

Kamau looked up at me, and with the wisest of smiles, he said kindly, "I came looking for hope."

Some part of me said that Kamau was telling the truth, and yet the other part of me was doubtful. I had been thrown some of life's hardest and cruelest punches, as had every member of the Pride and hope never truly helped. Hope would indeed come at times, but only briefly. To look for it seemed foolish.

"And what is hope?" I asked warily.

His eyes shimmering brightly, Kamau replied, "Hope is whatever you want it to be. It's the spirit of your most yearned for dreams. It's the life of your children. It's the cornerstone of your determination and your strength. Hope lives where you least expect it."

"Where is that?" I asked, the doubt in me not completely satisfied.

Kamau walked over to the grass where my father lay and placed his paw there, running it gently through the blades.

"It's right here."

And suddenly, it seemed as if my eyes were opened for the first time. Before, I never believed that hope never stayed and that it did no good, but now I saw. Hope was what had driven me through every hardship.

It was hope that made me fight for my life after the stampede.

It was hope that drove me to return home after years of exile.

It was hope that helped me to rule the kingdom, even when I was not seen as a fit king.

It was hope that now shimmered off of Kamau at this very moment like the light off of an angel. He was the wisest lion I knew, other than my father. He was a source of hope.

I smiled at him, a tear escaping down my face.

"We must never let the bond of our fathers ruin what relationship we ourselves have. By blood we may only be related by half, but in spirit we are whole. We share a mother, if not a father. But whether anyone approves or not, we are brothers. And there is nothing anyone can do to change that."

Kamau's mouth fell open, though his smile never faltered. A single tear escaped down his cheek.

"Y-You called me...brother…"

I smiled at Kamau, my brother. I motioned for him to come forward, and he did so, placing a paw around my shoulder. I smiled as several more tears of happiness fell from my eyes.

I'm not quite sure how long the embrace lasted. All I know is what was going on though my mind. This was a Pride member, and a wise one at that. This was a member of my family. This was my brother, and there was no force that could ever sever the bond that we had created.

Finally, the embrace broke. We smiled at one another for a moment and then I spoke up.

"We'd best get back to Pride Rock and explain what's going on. I've made a bit of a mess of things."

Kamau nodded, chuckling slightly. We took one last look at the Good King's grave, and then turned back to the path that led out of the Gorge. Now, a new word was in my mind.

Hope.

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**----Ayden----**

I sat silently, several miles north of Pride Rock, my face buried in my arms.

Simba and Kamau had returned to Pride Rock about ten minutes ago. I knew that they had formed some sort of bond down in the Gorge, and they must now be recounting Kamau's story to the rest of the Pride. I, however, did not go. I didn't need to.

The last thing that Simba needed right now was to see the one who caused him to lose control of his emotions and commit acts of unspeakable horror.

_So what now?_

I pulled my head out of my arms and looked around. I was completely alone.

Which was the way it should have been.

Many things went though my head, each one worse than the last one. I wondered if Simba's and Kamau's bond would be stronger than our own, since they were both of the same species and bloodline. Maybe they would become better friends. Maybe Simba wouldn't even want to be my friend anymore. Maybe now that he had given into his aggression, it was irreversible. Maybe it wasn't safe for me to stay here any longer.

I stopped and stared out into nothingness for a long time once that thought ran through my mind.

"I can't stay here anymore." I finally said aloud.

Many years before, when I had been found by Sarabi and brought back to Pride Rock, I had once thought that I would stay there just until I was healthy again. Then I would continue to the west until I found an ocean. Surely there would have been some form of civilization along the coastline at some point.

_Maybe you've served your purpose and the time to leave is now._

I had done a great deal of good in the Pride Lands. Maybe I had done what I was meant to do. Maybe it was time to move on.

I now had a much better chance of survival after all. My skills were far more honed leaving here than they were upon my arrival. I could hunt, I could easily make a bed out of whatever was available, and I could defend myself.

Surely I wouldn't be very missed. Simba was a better king now, and he could probably keep things running smoothly. He probably would have anyways if I had never even shown up.

Sarabi wouldn't miss me too much. After all, I wasn't her real son and she just regained another one.

Simba wouldn't miss me too much. He had a real brother now who he was tied to through bloodline, rather than one who was not even of the same species.

I closed my eyes, ashamed of myself for even believing this life could have lasted forever. How foolish could I have been? I may have survived all these years, but only just. There had been so many times where I was inches from death. So many close encounters. It was just part of the package when living with a pride of wild lions.

I stood up, my decision clear, whether or not I liked it.

I couldn't stay.

It was better for everybody if I just left.

I turned to the west, where the sun had begun its decent. I sighed deeply and began walking.

It was, without a doubt, the hardest thing I had ever done. Not in the sense that the walking was exhausting or that I was struggling to do it physically. It was hard for me emotionally. Every fiber of my mind screamed at me not to take the next step that would take me further and further away from my home. Each step sent a shockwave of pain and emotion through my mind.

_It's not your home anymore._

I looked back at Pride Rock, which shone majestically in the orange light of the sunset. Somehow, I had never before noticed just how beautiful it was; what a marvel of nature it truly was.

"Goodbye…" I whispered, my voice trembling.

"Goodbye?" Said a voice from behind me. "Where are you going?"

I jumped and turned to see none other than Simba sitting in front of me.

"I-uh-I…" I stuttered. What was I going to tell him?

"Ayden?" Simba said concernedly. "Where were you going?"

I couldn't say it. There was nothing I could say that would change anything. Simba felt the way he felt about me due to his instincts. No matter what he told his instincts, they still would override him at some point or another.

Even if I could tell him what exactly I was doing, it wouldn't help. Being my brother and best friend, he would do any and everything he could to stop me.

I did the only thing I saw fit.

I ran.

As fast as my legs could carry me, I sprinted around Simba and out into the west.

Some part of me knew it was pointless to run, simply because it would get me nowhere. I would be stopped by Simba at some point or another. But running was far less difficult than explaining to him what I needed to do.

Only about fifty yards into my run, I found myself suddenly pinned down to the ground by Simba. I sighed into the dust, telling myself that it had been a good try.

"Ayden…" Simba said pleadingly from above me, "Ayden, please. I don't know what you're doing, but I know why."

I closed my eyes and let my face fall in the dirt. I was afraid of this. Now he was going to blame himself again for everything that, had I not been there, wouldn't have happened.

The pressure from my back lifted, and I was able to roll over on my back. Simba stood over me, a pitiful look on his face.

"Please Ayden, where were you going?" He repeated.

I sighed and turned my head away. I just couldn't look at him.

"I was leaving." I said. The words came out pained. "It's clear that I've done what good I can here and now I've overstayed my welcome."

Simba stared at me, mouth agape. For a moment, he said nothing. Then when he finally found his voice, he said, "'Done what good you can?' And what do you mean 'it's clear'? How is it 'clear'"?

I laughed, finding no humor in the situation. "What good am I doing staying here? You've been trying hard to ignore your natural instincts to kill me, a natural threat, and yet you can't. I'm causing nothing but tension and strain."

I looked up at him.

"This is not how nature intended for us to live. Humans and lions are just not compatible with each other."

"Ayden, I'm sorry." Simba whispered, hanging his head. "I'm so sorry. I lost control. I have no excuse. All I can say is it won't happen again."

I shook my head. "Simba, I know you're sorry. I have absolutely no doubt at all about that. And I forgive you. But there's no guarantee that it won't happen again. Who knows? The next time it happens, I could be caught off guard. Simba, you _could_ kill me if you really wanted to. Your instincts are driving you to do it. It is a struggle for you to control yourself."

Simba looked up at me, sadness in his fiery orbs.

I sighed. "The fact of the matter is, I have to leave. There is just no way around it. It is better for the both of us."

"But what about the kingdom?" He protested.

"I have faith that you will be a great king. You already are. You'll be able to run the kingdom fine. And besides, you have Kamau now. He'll make a great advisor. Hell, he could probably take my place if you both wanted him to."

"What about all of us?" He said angrily, his voice rising. "You're just going to abandon us? Your family?"

"Simba," I said warningly. "Calm down."

His face froze for a moment, anger still etched into it's features, and then it fell. "You're right."

"Simba, do you think I _want_ to leave? Do you think this is an easy choice that I could make lightly?"

His eyes averted my own. Slowly, he shook his head.

"Ayden…we don't want you to go." Simba said quietly. A tear slowly streaked down his muzzle. "I don't want you to go…"

I closed my eyes painfully. My mind was made up. My decision was final. "I know you don't want me to. But I have to."

Simba sighed. "Then…" he paused, trying to find the right words. "Don't leave right now. Wait a little bit. Prepare yourself. You're gonna have a long journey, and you'll need supplies and strength."

I opened my mouth to say no, but something held me back. Part of me knew he was right. I would need all the supplies and strength I could get. But another part of me said that I _needed_ to stay. Some strange knowing inside of me told me that if I left now, something horrible would happen.

Simba was right. I did need to stay a little longer, be it for my own reasons or for some larger unknown reason.

"All right. I'll stay to prepare." I said. "But I can't stay for more than two weeks, at the most."

Simba nodded with a sigh. "You're right I guess. This is for the best. I don't like it one bit, and I wish that you would change your mind. But I know…." he paused. "That this will ultimately be a good thing," He choked out.

I smiled. "I'm sure that I'll be fine. I've got a lucky streak, so I'm sure that will come in handy."

Something suddenly occurred to me, and I voiced it to Simba right away.

"One thing though…we should keep this quiet from the Pride. Even Mom. At least until I'm long gone. Not all of them will fully understand, and they may try to stop me."

Simba nodded reluctantly. I'm sure that he wanted to tell somebody as soon as we got back so he could try to stop me.

"I suppose we should be getting back." He said quietly.

"Yeah," I replied.

"You wanna ride?" he asked, smiling slightly.

"I think I'd enjoy that very much." I said, returning the smile.

I climbed on his back and he took off into the grasslands, back towards Pride Rock; back to the home I would soon have to leave behind forever.

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**Didn't expect that from Ayden did you? Don't worry, he's not going anywhere...at least for a while...**

**Anybody who's read the Diamond Star Chronicles should know what is coming up next...**

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**Thanks guys!**


	9. Darkness on the Horizon

**I know...this was a quick update...but i sorta wanted to leave you guys with a cliffhanger before i left on my Death Valley trip (leaving today! SWEET!!!!). So don't expect any updates for about a week. The next chapter will be very interesting to say the least...you are gonna love and/or hate me for it.**

**It has come to my attention that some of you are unfamiliar with "The Diamond Star Chronicles". That story, by an incredible author named Amase, is what THIS story is based on. I have prior permission to use the story. "The Diamond Star Chronicles" is the sequel to "The White Water Chronicles", which corresponds with "The Pride of Man". In my absence this week, perhaps you might go and check them out! They're INCREDIBLE stories, and i am forever indebted to Amase for allowing me to use them to make my own stories.**

**Enough babble! Enjoy!**

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Chapter 9 – Darkness on the Horizon

A couple of days passed since I had made my decision to leave. I began to collect food and supplies for my journey and store them under a tree in my secluded spot. As far as I could tell, nobody had the slightest clue that I would soon be gone.

It became clear that I was not hiding my sadness for leaving very well. Sarabi grew worried and she easily figured out that I was not fully content. Though, I'm sure she would have never guessed the reason why. She had asked me if I was feeling some heartache over my lost family. I told her yes, and one could argue that there was some truth in that. I would soon be losing my family, and I was heartbroken over that.

Sarabi and I spent a lot of time together over those couple of days, taking strolls through the grasslands, sitting under acacia trees, and talking. Occasionally, she would take me to a secluded spot that she discovered for herself years ago. It was a small rocky area where the rocks were high enough on each side to resemble a gorge. At sunset, it was a beautiful sight to behold.

Kamau quickly became the center of attention, as I once had when I first arrived. He was bombarded with questions about his and Yetunde's travels, and he answered every one enthusiastically.

About three days after I began preparing for my departure, I found myself walking with Kamau through the Pride Lands. He was always interested in a history lesson, and I was more than glad to oblige. It was wonderful to spend time with him. It was wonderful that Sarabi's secret pregnancy, as initially horrible as it was, had turned out to be a great thing. Kamau was, without a doubt, the wisest lion I knew next to Mufasa.

"So to shorten the history lesson, we're the only pride around, aside from the Outsiders. At least to my knowledge," I relayed to him. "I'm unsure if the River Pride is still around. The last time I ever heard about them was when Mufasa was around."

"Is there any way to find out?" Kamau asked curiously.

"I suppose Simba might know." I said. "He's made several journeys on his own since we ascended the throne. He may have found them, but I'll make a point to ask him anyway."

I glanced around as a sudden urge came over me.

"Will you excuse me?" I asked.

Kamau smiled and rolled his eyes. "Of course."

I turned and walked a good fifty feet away so I could relieve myself.

Once I finished, I turned and started walking back to Kamau, who had sat down and was staring out in the opposite direction.

A bush to my right rustled, and as I turned to look at it, instinct suddenly told me to duck. Just in the nick of time, I did so as a dark brown blur pounced out of the bush and just over my head

I quickly stood up again, unsheathing my knife from my pocket, brandishing it towards the rogue lion. He turned on the spot and crouched low, baring his teeth and growling. I raised my knife, poised to strike.

Suddenly, Kamau bounded into the scene and landed right between the two of us.

"No! Don't!" He cried. "I know him!"

Both the rogue lion and I stood up and stared at Kamau. Then I looked over at the rogue. His eyes flashed menacingly in my direction and my mouth fell open.

"Kovu?" I asked incredulously.

The rogue lion's face changed instantly. He stared at me, turning his head to one side.

"Do I know you?" he asked.

"Do you know me?" I repeated, "Who's the only human you've ever come in contact with?"

His eyes widened as he stared at me.

"No way…" He said disbelievingly.

Kovu had certainly grown since the last time I had seen him. Now about the same size as Simba had been when I first met him as an adult, Kovu greatly resembled his father, Sekou. A chocolate pelt with a creamy underbelly, and an even darker mane, he was a handsome young lion. His eyes were a striking green, reflecting Kala's kindness, yet they had a strange look to them. It seemed as though they reflected all the pain in his life.

_He grew up with Zira. What else would you expect?_

"What, you forgot what I looked like?" I asked, dumbfounded that he had forgotten me.

"You look different now." He said, "You're slightly taller for one thing, and you've got fur on your face now."

I chuckled to myself at the last comment. I had been wearing my knife down when I sharpened it to shave, so I decided to stop and just let my facial hair grow several weeks previously to preserve what little of my knife I had left.

"Is that why you attacked me?" I asked seriously, remembering Kovu's hostile attack.

"Err…no. I was looking for food, and you were the first thing I came across." He replied sheepishly.

"And you just happened to stumble several miles north of your territory into the Pride Lands during your hunt?" I asked, remembering my duty as King.

"I…uh…"

I motioned for Kamau to step aside so I could speak to Kovu properly. Kamau nodded and moved to sit at my side. Kovu stood warily in front of me. He was not scared, but he was cautious. Clearly, Zira had informed him that there was much more to me than met the eye.

"Do you mind telling me what you are doing in our lands when you know you are an Outsider?" I said sternly.

Kovu composed himself, stood tall, and looked me straight in the eyes.

"I've renounced my pride. Zira is a power hungry tyrant and I want nothing more to do with her." His eyes shifted slightly. "I was hoping I could join with yours. In hopes that you would accept me, I've also come to bring you and King Simba a warning."

"And the warning would be?" I asked.

He hesitated, as if unsure he should say what he needed to. Then he spoke.

"That Zira and the Outsiders are gearing up to attack. It is planned for when the moon is high in the sky in three days time."

Had I not been listening intently, I would have thought Kovu had said something else.

"Zira…is going to attack?" I repeated shakily. The words were hard for me to form.

"Yes, in three nights." Kovu said again.

"Um…" Kamau said cautiously, to nobody in particular. "Is this the same Zira you told me about? The one that you and Simba banished three years ago?"

"The same," Kovu answered for me, noticing that I was having trouble speaking.

Words finally found their way back to me, and anger was slowly rising. I directed my attention to Kovu..

"And you are turning your back on your pride to tell me this _why_? What incentive would you have to join us, the ones who banished you and by doing so, made your life hell?" I asked warily. Kovu was an outsider who I was sure that Zira had fed hateful lies to in order to turn him against us. For the moment, I had no legitimate reason to trust him.

"I have my reasons." He replied quietly. "Let's just say that I'm concerned for somebody."

A balloon of anger was slowly growing inside of my chest. I wanted to direct my anger at Kovu for telling me this news. But he was not the cause of my anger, and I didn't want to make a bad impression on him. I needed to control the anger before I did something I would regret.

I turned around and walked to a nearby tree. I put my back to the tree, raised my head up, and slid down until I was sitting. I put my head in my hands and sighed.

_Well isn't this wonderful! You can't abandon them now! Not when they're about to be attacked!_

"Ayden?" Kamau said. He turned his to Kovu and said, "Excuse me for a moment." Then he started walking over to me. "Are you alright?"

I pulled my face out of my hands and looked at him.

"No. I'm _not_ alright Kamau." I said harshly. "Who knows what will happen now? Zira's going to attack the Pride. She was one of the best huntresses in the Pride when she lived with us. I just….it…ugh!"

I buried my face in my hands again, frustration overcoming me.

_Are you so eager to leave? Do you really want to leave your home so bad that anything that makes you stay will upset you?_

_**No, but its something that I have to do. Staying here isn't good for anybody.**_

_But you want to stay here. And besides, this gives you a good excuse to do so._

_**A good excuse? You call your family possibly being killed a good excuse to stay for your own selfish reasons?**_

I decided to stop arguing with myself before I went completely insane. I sighed and got back on my feet.

"Sorry…" I said to Kamau. "Just…a lot on my mind. That's all."

Kamau smiled and nodded, but his eyes gave him away. He was concerned for me, though he said nothing to voice his concern.

I walked back over to Kovu and smiled at him.

"I apologize for that Kovu. I don't know what came over me."

He smiled back at me, and replied. "It's cool."

"I cannot thank you enough for telling me this, and I honestly don't know if it will ever be enough," I said. "I suppose I could start by granting your request."

Kovu's ears perked up and a huge grin spread across his face.

"Really? Thank you your Majesty!" he said enthusiastically.

"Ayden," I corrected, smiling. "Just Ayden. And just so we can be clear, I'm taking a huge risk trusting you. If you break that trust, then you will be banished again without any second thought. Is that clear?"

"Crystal!" Kovu said, jubilation radiating off him like steam. For some reason, Kovu was genuinely happy to join with our Pride; some _other _reason aside from the fact that he never had to live with Zira again.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"And you are sure that he is trustworthy?" Simba asked me.

Kovu, Kamau, and I had returned to Pride Rock right afterward to deliver the news to Simba and the rest of the Pride. The sun had started to set, placing the Pride Lands into a neon orange light.

Upon our arrival, I had gone inside the cave with Simba right after he had seen Kovu. He had not recognized him, and I pulled him aside before he could have a chance to. I feared his reaction if he knew that an Outsider was in our midst.

"Nobody can say for sure if he is lying or not, but his eyes showed no lie." I said quietly. "Besides, I wouldn't put it past Zira to plot her revenge after all these years."

"True." Simba said with a sigh. "So Kovu is part of our Pride now?"

"For the moment, yes," I replied. "But I told him that I was taking a huge risk trusting him, and if he broke that trust-"

"We wouldn't think twice before banishing him again." Simba finished for me, smiling. "Our father's law word-for-word."

I returned the smile. Together, we turned and left the cave.

Kovu stood just around the corner, surrounded by the Pride. Kamau stood at his side, attempting to calm the Pride, all of whom were clamoring and shouting. At our appearance, they all turned to us, and started shouting at me.

"What on earth are you thinking Ayden?"

"He's an Outsider!"

"What's he mean you're letting him stay?"

"It's called trust, and I have the free will to give it to whoever I choose." I replied loudly over the clamor. "When have I ever given you reason to not trust my judgment?"

"Well…" Lesedi spoke up. "You failed to kill Scar on several occasions while he was in power, even though you had the perfect chance to."

I felt my face grow hot as it grew red. "I was young and inexperienced. And I was not your King then."

"Enough!" Simba called out. "I too trust Ayden's judgment. And if that's not good enough for anybody, then speak up now."

Nobody said a word.

"Kovu is a part of our Pride now." I said aloud. "He is to be treated with the same respect that you would expect from anybody else. Is that understood?"

Slowly, the pride nodded their heads. Afterwards, they began to disperse and go back to their daily activities. Kiara and Tanabi were the last two to leave our sights, and I couldn't help but notice Kiara's eyes were not moving from Kovu's face.

Simba stepped forward and addressed Kovu. "Well now, a new member, huh?"

Kovu smiled weakly and shrugged. "Yeah."

"Allow me to introduce myself, though I'm sure you remember me from your younger days. I am King Simba. But just call me Simba. None of that "Your Majesty" or "Your Highness" stuff."

"Sure thing," said Kovu.

Simba continued. "Everything within our lands is free for you to take, except for hunting. We do that at sunset as an entire Pride. If you wish to hunt on your own, then go beyond the Pride Lands. Here we have a peace and order that we like to keep. Understood?"

Kovu nodded. "Thank you Simba. I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am to have been accepted into the Pride." Then he sighed and turned to me. "Do you mind if I take a walk? I need to clear my head. It's been a busy day."

"Go right ahead Kovu," I said smiling.

He returned the smile and descended down the slope and out into the Pride Lands.

"Well he seems nice enough." Simba commented. "Are you positive though?"

"You didn't know his parents. I can see both of them in him." I said, staring at Kovu's shrinking figure. I turned back to Kamau who too stared out at Kovu.

"You said that you knew him Kamau. How do you know him?"

Kamau smiled and replied, "I met him out on the border during my travels."

"Did he seem trustworthy when you met him then?" Simba asked. Clearly, Simba was having a difficult time believing that Kovu truly was trustworthy.

"Yes." Kamau said solemnly. "He has a heavy and troubled soul, but he is good. I know it in my heart."

Simba shrugged and yawned. "All right then, I'm gonna go take a nap. Care to join me?"

"I think I'll wander around the Pride Lands for a bit." Kamau said.

"Nah, it's cool." I replied. "I think I'll take a walk as well."

Simba chuckled. "Exercise seems popular today."

He turned and entered the cave. I turned to Kamau, eyeing him suspiciously.

"I don't suppose its coincidence that we want to 'take a walk' at the same time, is it?" I asked smugly.

"Well," he replied with a smirk, "If your definition of 'taking a walk' means to follow Kovu, then the answer is no. It's not a coincidence."

"He was heading into the south last time I saw." I said, looking out in the direction.

"Then south is our destination." Kamau responded.

Kamau lowered himself so I could climb on his back, and together we took off down the slope, and out to the southern border.

I tried to hold on to every moment of this experience I could. Riding on the back of a lion is not something that one ever wants to forget, or even give up. And once I left, I would never be able to do it again.

The sky had turned a deep shade of lavender and stars began to dot the sky like little beacons. Off in the east, a shimmering half-moon began to rise over the horizon.

The landscape around us slowly began to change. Green plants slowly diminished and became brown and withered. The grass around us was gone, and only dry cracked dirt could be seen. The trees were crooked, barren, and dry.

We had entered the Outlands.

"I don't like this Kamau…" I said warily.

Maybe I _had_ misplaced my trust in Kovu. Why on earth would he return to the Outlands directly after joining with our Pride?

There was a cluster of trees several yards in front of us. From beyond them, I heard voices.

Kamau stopped and let me slip off his back. We slowly and silently made our way to the cluster. I reached a tree and hid behind it. Slowly, I moved to peek around to see the source of the voices.

Kovu was getting to his paws as a lioness was moving away. Apparently she had just pinned him to the ground. There was something familiar about her. The way her fur grew in a tuft on her head so that it hung like a pair of bangs in her eyes, which were a deep blue color…

Just like Sekou's…

And then it hit me.

This was Vitani.

I stared in awe at this young and powerful lioness. The last time I had seen her, I could've held her in my arms. Now she was twice my size. The years of growing up in the Outlands had not been kind to her. Though she was powerful and well set, she was unnaturally thin and held a stance that signified constant aggression.

"Damn. This is going to take longer," she said with a growl. My interest spiked and I strained my ears, listening for more.

Suddenly, Kamau moved around me and out into the open.

"Kamau…no!" I whispered through gritted teeth, reaching out to stop him. But it was too late. I went back and hid behind the tree again.

"What's going to take longer?" He said aloud.

I heard a loud roar, followed by Vitani shouting, "You let him FOLLOW YOU!?"

"What's going on here?" Kamau shouted as well. I chanced a peek around the corner to see what was going on. Kamau was staring at Vitani. She had the very distinct look of an Outlander, and Kamau noticed it. "You're scheming! You've been plotting against Simba and Ayden the whole time!"

Suddenly, a chilling and eerie laugh echoed through the trees; a laugh that sent shivers down my spine.

It had been years since I heard that laugh, but I would never forget it in my entire life. I reached up and ran my hand across the scar that stretched down my face.

Zira.

Kamau slowly backed up as Zira's laughing grew louder. She was in the clearing now.

"Very good, Kamau! You've figured it out! But why do you fear? Do you know who I am?"

Her voice awakened a dark hate in me that I had not felt in the longest time. Zira had committed unspeakable acts of horror and evil in the past, and I absolutely despised her for them.

Kamau stopped backing up and got into a defensive position.

"I make a case of avoiding acquaintances with Outsiders." He said with a growl.

Zira snorted at that. "My name is Zira, former Queen of the Pride Lands, and the mate of your father, King Scar."

Kamau growled at this.

"Don't' be so hostile my dear!" Zira chuckled. "I am the leader of a pride of lions loyal to your father and his legacy. Since his death we have trained and stretched our efforts, our single goal being the retaking of Pride Rock in the name of Scar!"

I chanced another glance around the corner, and saw that Zira was now circling Kamau. A small, spiteful bit of gladness sprang in me when I saw her right ear. It was missing a patch of skin.

I remembered the day I had attacked Scar and Zira, and how it was I who had done that to her. I grinned maliciously.

Zira spoke kindly, as if Kamau was her own son.

"You, Kamau, are Scar's single surviving heir. Did you know that?"

Kovu growled at her. "Mother! What about Nuka? Is he not Scar's son too?"

_Nuka…_

I remembered Nuka and how deeply I had felt badly for him. Nuka had always had a kind heart, despite his parentage. Being forced to live with Zira out in the Outlands…It made my heart hurt to know that we had practically done nothing to make sure that Nuka, Kovu, and Vitani were not put in Zira's care. How different things would have been if we had kept them from her…

Zira roared angrily at Kovu's remark, and I heard a smacking sound as she struck him.

"How DARE you talk back to me!? Nuka is a ring of filth and does not deserve the title of Scar's son!"

Kamau's stance faltered for a second, and I knew why. He had just realized that Nuka was _yet another_ half-brother of his. He regained his composure in time for Zira to start circling him again.

"Kamau, you remain a member of Scar's noble blood line. You alone hold rights to the throne aside from your foolish brother Simba. Join me, Kamau. Join the Outlanders, and rule the Pride Lands with Kovu at your side! Two Kings to rule the Pride Lands in the name of the late King Scar!"

Kamau growled at Zira, stood tall, and spoke. "The Pride Lands already have two kings. Two kings who rule in the name of the late King Mufasa. There are only two kings to bring the Pride together. Two kings to sit alongside the Great Kings of the Past."

I held my breath, waiting for Kamau's answer.

"Those kings are Simba and Ayden."

Pride began welling up in me as Kamau defended his kings.

A vicious snarl tore from Zira's throat and she roared, "HOW DARE YOU DENY THE NAME OF YOUR FATHER!? TO DENY HIS LEGACY FOR THAT OF SIMBA!?"

Kamau replied calmly, "Because my father was a tyrant, not a King."

Zira's hatred and rage still lingered in her face, but when she spoke, it was in a sinister yet calm voice.

"Very well. If you will not join us, then you will die like the filth you are."

I couldn't idly stand by any longer. I flew from around the tree, pulling my knife from my pocket, raising it high.

"I wouldn't count on that!" I called out.

Every face turned towards me. Kamau's was relieved, yet concerned. Kovu seemed to be unsure of himself. Vitani stared at me bewilderedly, but I only had eyes for one face.

Zira's was, at first, contorted with confusion and rage. Then an evil smile broke over it.

"Well, well, well…its been a _very_ long time, Ayden." She said in a cold whisper.

"Not long enough." I growled through gritted teeth.

Vitani, Kovu, and Kamau all stood by and watched as the two of us began to encircle one another.

"I have been dreaming of this moment for years." She chuckled to herself.

"It's just you and me Zira." I said savagely. My hate was overcoming me. My vision grew clouded. Everything else seemed to dissolve into thin air. The only thing that I saw was Zira.

Zira snickered again. "What was the first thing that you said to me all those years ago? 'Maybe if you would pay attention to your surroundings once in a while, you would notice that things are not always what they seem.'"

And suddenly, I found myself pushed forward, down to the ground. My knife flew from my hand, five feet away. I was pinned down, with Vitani towering over me.

"NO!" Kamau cried, as he ran towards me. Zira growled and struck him hard across the face, sending him flying down to the ground. She cried, "Kovu! Hold him!" to which Kovu obliged. Then she turned back to me.

"Excellent work Vitani. Keep him there!" Then she added with a snicker, "I've got some plans for him."

She turned back to Kamau and stared down at him. "Now where were we?"

She stopped in mock-thought for a second, while Kamau began to make choking sounds as Kovu began to push on his throat.

"Well Kamau this is a shame," Zira said simply as she trotted up. She sat down next to the suffocating lion and bent down level with him. "You being the son of my beloved, and refusing the offer that I have given you. I'm usually a very merciful and permitting lioness but seeing your refusal, I know that you will go and tell Simba of our plans. So I'm afraid I can't let you go back."

My eyes flashed to Kovu when Zira mentioned Kamau telling Simba. I was utterly confused now. _WHY_ had he told us if he was just going to kill us?

"You have one more chance Kamau," Zira said with a smile. "Take my offer. Join me in the fight for Pride Rock and your life will be spared. You will become King and rule the Pride Lands with Kovu! What a life you could have!"

Kamau was gasping for breath, but he managed to say, "I will never stand against my brother. I will never do what my father did. Simba is the one true King."

Zira stared at Kamau, rage briefly flashing in her eyes. However it subsided, and she merely stared at Kamau with a look of cold stone on her face. She turned to Kovu.

"Kill him."

My heart beat like a soldier's drum in my chest as I stared over at Kovu, who was staring down at Kamau with a mingled look of determination and pity. Slowly, he raised his paw to deliver the killing blow.

Seconds passed as his paw hovered in midair, poised to strike.

His paw trembled.

"What are you waiting for Kovu?" Zira hissed impatiently. "Do it!"

Kovu stared into Kamau's eyes, and then closed his own. His jaw trembled slightly.

_What is he doing?_

"DO IT NOW!" Zira roared.

A tear slid down Kovu's muzzle, and unbelievably, he lowered his paw, sheathing his claws once again. Slowly, he released Kamau and turned to Zira.

"No."

Zira let out a roar of fury and charged at the two lions, her eyes shooting daggers into Kovu.

"IF YOU WON'T DO IT, THEN I WILL!" She shrieked.

Kovu took a defensive stance and unsheathed his claws again, bearing his teeth. Above me, Vitani shifted, and I seized the opportunity. In her moment of hesitation, I jerked around and she slipped off from on top of me. I rolled away from her and got to my feet, wheezing as I caught my breath. My attention was abruptly brought back to the impending fray.

"I said NO!" Kovu cried out.

Just before Zira collided with Kovu, an orange blur shot between them, causing Zira to stop in her tracks. It was Kamau.

"STOP!" he cried from between them. "Kovu let it go. Let it be. Let them be."

Kovu glared at Zira, the desire to rip her throat out, but he sheathed his claws and turned his back on Zira. I quickly rushed to their sides, scooping up my knife as I went. Behind us, Zira growled.

"You filth." she hissed in menacing, demonic rage. Kovu stopped and turned to look at her, hate in his eyes.

Zira spat on the ground. "You ungrateful little wretch! I could have let you DIE after Scar was killed! I could have left you to rot! But no, I took you in and raised you, taught you all of which you were born to be, and you betray me! You disgusting little bastard. That's all you are! The illegitimate son of a slut of a lioness and a rogue!"

Kovu stood there, unmoved by her words. He began to turn around back to us.

Zira growled. "Stay with them, you belong with them. Though you won't be there long. Await the day, young ones. Await the day that the pride of the Outlanders will rain forth upon the Pride Lands, burying an old legacy into the ground, and reviving the glorious era that was Scar's. Wait for it..."

I glared at Zira maliciously. I was sure that she would prolong her attack, now that she knew that Kovu would tell us about it.

…Which meant that I needed to stay in the Pride Lands longer.

I sighed and watched quietly as Zira grunted at Vitani, who shot a dirty look at the three of us. Then together, they slunk back into the Outlands, tails twitching in agitation.

Kovu sighed. "We should get out of here now."

"I agree." I said.

Together, the three of us set off back into the green, lush Pride Lands. For a while, nobody spoke a word. Every now and then, I would glance at Kovu, who looked as if he had been denied a large piece of meat he had just been promised.

Kamau noticed this too. "Hey," he said to Kovu. "I think that was…very noble what you did. Very brave."

"I agree." I said truthfully.

Kovu chuckled sarcastically. "Brave, huh? What's your definition of brave? Betraying your only home and family and putting yourself on their hit list?"

"No," Kamau smiled. "Doing what you believe is right, regardless of what others may tell you or expect of you. Standing up for truth and righteousness, and facing death with ease and calmness. That's bravery."

Kovu chuckled again. "That's what you think of me?

"Yes, in fact," Kamau replied. "You saved my life, Kovu. That's a debt I will be obliged to repay someday."

Kovu looked up at Kamau seriously, and replied, "No, Kamau, it was me who was repaying a debt."

I stared at Kovu, utterly perplexed. "What the…?" was all I could manage to say.

Kovu looked over at me, then back at Kamau, who too looked totally confused.

"About a year ago, Kamau found me on the border, broken and alone. I had bottled up my emotions for so long that I felt like I was going to explode. Hate, sadness, rage, torment…all of it had just built up inside of me."

He looked at Kamau right in the eyes. "Right before you found me, I made the decision that I was gonna go to the old gorge. I decided that I didn't want my life anymore. One step over that cliff would end my suffering and give me peace. You found me, and you told me things that made my eyes clear again. You inspired me to keep going, and that I can do anything I choose to do, I'm not obligated to Zira's will."

Kamau smiled at him, and suddenly, I had a newfound respect for Kovu. His parent's kind nature was shining through him brightly now, throwing off the shroud of darkness that Zira had covered him with.

"I'm sorry. To both of you," he said, turning to me as well. "I'm so sorry. Will you forgive me? Please?"

I looked into his green eyes and saw that remorse reflected in them. I smiled and said, "Absolutely Kovu."

Kamau spoke up. "You acted on pride alone, Kovu. You did what you thought was expected of you. But you have redeemed yourself. You discovered that you are under your own jurisdiction, not under the demand of others. For that, even the Great Kings have forgiven you."

Kovu smiled. "Salvation by the Kings..." he whispered under his breath.

We took our time returning to Pride Rock. By the time we arrived, the moon was almost at the western edge of the sky, while the eastern edge was glowing with the pink rays of the soon-to-be rising sun.  
Kovu and Kamau went inside the cave, and I bade them good night-or good morning in this case. I remained outside, watching the sun rise slowly over the mountains.

Simba would be up soon, and I would have to tell him what had happened that night. Hopefully, he would take it well and not look down on Kovu.

Now we had a greater problem than a human living unnaturally with a wild pride of lions. Now, a rogue lion was going to attack us all with every ounce of force that she had, and I knew that she would take no prisoners.

I knew that I could not leave the Pride now. At least not until this threat was eliminated. I would not abandon my family in a time of need.

Though the sun shone brightly in the morning sky, I knew that this was the beginning of a dark time for us all.


	10. Zira's Revenge

**_Warning to the Readers_**

**_This chapter is why the story is rated T, for violence. Do not read this chapter lightly._**

**Now that that is out of the way, (which i am serious about that warning...) all I have to say is enjoy, and i expect reviews from this one. I'm not asking you to. Just that given the content of this chapter, i KNOW that i will get a tidal wave of reviews.**

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**Chapter 10 – Zira's Revenge**

Several days passed since Kovu had officially renounced his pride and joined ours. Though things seemed calm in the Pride Lands, I knew better. I knew perfectly well that Zira was, at that very moment, plotting revenge for her son's betrayal. She was relentless in the fact that she believed that she was deprived of what was rightfully hers.

The knowledge of Zira's impending attack had everybody on pins and needles. The memories of the last time she attacked the Pride still caused discomfort and discord. However, this time, when she attacked, it would be different. This time, we would be ready.

Simba and I began to take precautions to ensure that the lionesses were ready for an attack at any given moment. We did so by rounding up large groups, sometimes even the entire Pride, and have them train with each other. This usually included battling one another fiercely, yet carefully so as not to hurt each other, and practicing formations that could be helpful. I helped out immensely by giving pointers about where to strike their opponent to cause the most damage, based on what little knowledge I had learned in my previous life across the seas.

One quiet afternoon, Simba, Nala, Kamau, Kovu, Sarabi, Tanabi, Kiara, and I were practicing some more.

"Remember to duck Kiara!" I cried as I successfully jumped onto her back and brought my arm around her neck. She struggled for a moment, but I had a good tight grip around her neck.

I leaned down and whispered in her ear, "If I had been a lion, you would have had your throat ripped out. You HAVE to stay vigilant and alert."

"I know," she breathed back. "I'm trying."

I released her neck and slipped off her back. "Keep working on it Kiara. You're getting a lot better; you just need to stay wary."

I glanced around at the battling lions and noticed that Sarabi was absent. Glancing around, I saw her slinking away to the east.

"Guys, I'm gonna take a breather," I called out, turning to follow Sarabi. Simba looked briefly away from Nala and smiled at me in response. This gave Nala a chance to pounce on Simba. The two of them rolled backwards several times before Nala tensed her body and firmly planted her paws on Simba's chest, pinning him to the ground. I laughed as Simba stared at her in awe, and then glared over at me.

I turned back and ran to catch up with Sarabi.

"Wait up Mom!"

She stopped and looked around at me, smiling.

"Hello son." She said happily.

"What's the matter?" I asked stopping next to her, catching my breath. "How come you're not practicing?"

She sighed and looked away. "I…I just needed a break. That's all."

I eyed her suspiciously.

"You…uh…you hesitated a bit there. Is something wrong Mom?" I asked, concerned.

She stared back up at me, and only now did I realize just how weary Sarabi looked.

"Can we talk somewhere else?" She said quietly.

"Yeah, no problem," I replied.

Sarabi slunk around me and then slipped between my legs so that I suddenly found myself on her back. In an instant, she was sprinting at great speeds into the northeast. Above us the sky began to turn pink as the sun began its descent down to the western horizon, and the clouds overhead glowed neon. Ahead of us, faint traces of violet could be seen in the eastern sky.

As we journeyed further and further to the east, I noticed that Sarabi was slower than she usually was. It made me feel uneasy; not for my safety, but for Sarabi's well-being.

After about fifteen minutes of sprinting, Sarabi finally came to a halt. We were near the outskirts of the pride lands. Around us were many uneven rock formations that formed an uneven and short gulch around us. Rarely had I ever visited this spot. It was very secluded and quiet, the perfect place for a private conversation.

"So what's wrong Mom?" I asked.

"To be honest, it's really nothing…" She said, chuckling to herself. "And yet…"

"What?" I asked, slightly taken aback at her humorless laugh.

"Well, it's just that I'm not the lioness I once was," she replied. "I'm getting old Ayden."

"No you're not!" I replied defensively. "You're perfectly fine!"

"Ayden…" She said seriously. "Think about it…how long has it been since you first met me?"

I thought back…

And only then did I realize that I had been living in Africa with this pride of lions for…

"Almost seven years." I said quietly.

I flashed back to my old biology class during my sophomore year of high school. That life seemed so distant now, almost as if it were somebody else's. We were talking about lifespan and mortality rate of animals. I clearly remembered asking my teacher how long lions usually lived to.

"Generally they live to be eight years, though some have been known to last between twelve and twenty," he had replied to me.

Sarabi smiled at me. "Seven years ago. And I was about five years when you came to us," Sarabi said smiling. "I'm a twelve-year-old lioness. For us Ayden, that is old."

"Uh…bu-but look at you!" I cried defiantly. "You look perfectly healthy! You're still so strong and powerful!"

Sarabi laughed. "Ayden, do you honestly believe that I'm perfectly healthy? Every day, my bones and joints pain me. I'm failing more frequently on my hunts. I'm losing speed with each passing day. I'm getting along in my years Ayden, and there's simply no way to deny it."

I didn't want to accept it. Accepting that Sarabi, my own mother, was getting old was too much. It meant that I had to accept that her time with me was dwindling, and that soon, she would be gone from my life.

_Why are you worried about seeing her die of old age? You're going to leave her well before she does…_

_**Shut up…**_

"Mom…" I said softly. I walked forward and wrapped my arms around her neck. "I don't want to lose you. Not yet."

"Ayden," she said almost disapprovingly, yet still keeping the same smile. She pulled away from me. "I'm not going anywhere for a while."

I wiped a tear from my cheek and smiled back.

"So why did you take me out here?" I asked. "Why did you run so far away just to tell me that you're getting old?"

"Well…" She said sheepishly, "I was somewhat afraid that you would take it badly and get upset. I know how much death affects you, and I didn't want you to lose your composure in front of the Pride. I figured out here, if that should happen, then at least nobody would see."

I chuckled. "I guess I reacted a bit differently."

"You acted as I had expected, just to a less extreme. I suppose there was no real need to take you out here," she said.

"What about Simba?" I asked as the thought came to me.

"What about him?"

"Well, wouldn't you need to tell him too?" I asked.

"No, I don't," she replied. "As lions, we all are accustomed to the signs of age, and Simba knows I am not as young as I once was. The entire Pride knows it. They have accepted it."

Once again, I had that twinge of jealousy. This was a sort of sixth sense that I lacked due to the difference in species. I shook off the feeling uneasily like I always did now.

I smiled again and wrapped my arms around her neck.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, my son."

I tightened my hold on her and held the embrace for a while. Subconsciously, I was hoping that maybe if I held onto her, then age would stop taking her away from me.

"How touching…"

We broke our embrace quickly and turned to see Vitani standing mere feet away from us, grinning devilishly. Several Outlanders stood behind her, the same smile on their faces. Several roars behind us told me that there were more Outlanders. We were surrounded.

"Vitani!" Sarabi cried.

Slowly, I reached for my pocket to grab my knife, but Sarabi nudged me, shaking her head slowly. I looked at her confusedly, but lowered my hand. I stared back at Vitani, her crystal blue eyes glaring at the two of us coldly.

"Vitani, why are you doing this?" I asked in a bold voice.

"Why?" she cackled. "I have a higher authority to serve, that's why! I am obligated to serve my mother!"

"But she's not your mother!" Sarabi cried. "Zira is not your real mother!"

"She took me in," Vitani said with a hiss. "She raised me. Gave me a home. Gave me a purpose. My parents never did that. They were fools who failed in raising my brother and I! They were nothing!"

"No Vitani," I said calmly. "Zira has filled your head with lies."

Vitani paid no attention. She crouched low to pounce, and the lionesses around her did the same.

"Vitani, we knew your parents!" Sarabi cried.

Vitani froze. She stood still for a second, staring at us confusedly. Then she grunted at the lionesses, who stood up. Then she stood upright again, staring at us.

"What do you know of my parents?" She asked darkly.

"They weren't what Zira said they were!" Sarabi said urgently. "Your mother was a beautiful lioness named Kala, and one of my best friends. Your father was a wonderful lion, a rogue named Sekou. They loved you very much Vitani…."

Vitani stared at Sarabi, her face an emotionless cold stone. "How did they die?"

"They were killed by the very same lion you swore to avenge," I replied with a growl. "Your father tried to retake this pride for us when Scar had thrown it into desolate ruin. But Scar had him slaughtered at the paws of a mountain of hyenas. Then he killed your mother after you were born! He ordered that you be separated and raised by Zira, to become the heirs of his line! I have _this scar_," I emphasized, pointing at my face. "Because of Zira, because she and Scar wanted to take you and Kovu with as little trouble as possible."

Vitani's face faltered for a second, but she lowered her head and stared at the ground, looking unsure.

"Kala had another cub before you!" Sarabi continued. "Back in Mufasa's time! When Scar took over he slaughtered all the cubs born under my mate. Your half brother before you was among the dead!"

Vitani growled and roared, "LIES!"

I stepped back, jolted by her roar. I poised my hand to reach for my pocket, should Vitani become violent.

"You both lie! You're trying to poison me against my mother!"

"What proof do you need Vitani!?" Sarabi cried as she held back tears. "I saw your father die! I was there when you were taken from your mother, and I tried to save you! You can't believe Zira!"

"Who do I believe then!?" Vitani yelled back. "You!? The mother of the one I've been trained to kill? Or you?" she yelled at me, "The one who killed my adoptive father? It doesn't work that easy . I have been training for this day my whole life, the day we would reclaim this land and be able to return home. I can't, I won't let that go to waste."

Sarabi sighed. "Then we won't make you wait anymore. Do what you came here to do."

Vitani smiled cruelly. "Oh no, I have other plans for you Sarabi. I was not expecting Ayden to be here, but I'm sure Mother would appreciate him to be brought to her alongside you."

Suddenly, a soft and evil laughter echoed through the gulch. We turned quickly to see the source of the cackling.

Zira.

She stood alone at the end of the gulch, grinning devilishly.

"Well hello there," she said through her evil smirk. "I was hoping to find you today Sarabi, and so I have. But to find King Ayden…this _is _delightful."

Vitani stared incredulously at her Zira, anger boiling in her eyes. "Mother, I was just about to bring them to-"

"SILENCE!" Zira roared. "You took your precious time, and it could have been very costly. Simba could have shown up by now and blown the entire plan! I decided to take matters into my own hands."

Vitani growled, but said nothing.

Zira grinned at me, her eyes mere slits. "This is absolutely marvelous. NOW!"

Behind me I heard two growls, and I whipped around in time to see two of the Outsiders fly over my head. It happened in slow motion as they flew overhead and I followed them, turning on the spot.

Too late did I realize who their target _was_.

They viciously landed on top of Sarabi, claws extended, pinning her down.

"NO!" I screamed. I reached for my pocket to grab my knife, but before my hand even neared my pocket, I was suddenly and brutally pushed forward by an unseen force behind me.

I rolled through the dirt several times and slid to a halt. I felt painful scrapes and cuts on my arms as they skidded through the rough ground. Warm blood trickled down my arm when I sat up to regain perspective.

Sarabi was struggling against her two captors, but to no avail. She was pinned down with nowhere to go and no way to escape.

One of the Outsiders stood where I once had, raising her head after she had head-butted me down. Growling furiously, I reached into my pocket to grab my knife…

…and found nothing there.

With a horrible lurch in my stomach, I realized that I had stupidly left my knife back where we had been practicing. A cold feeling spread from my stomach through my entire body.

Right in my ear, Zira's voice whispered coldly, "What's the matter, oh _king_? Totally defenseless? How unfortunate."

I closed my eyes and exhaled, my breath shaky. I grew lightheaded as I came to terms of what was happening…what was going to happen.

Never before in my life had I ever been scared of anything. I may have worried that some things would or would not happen, but I had never been truly fearful of anything. The only thing I had ever even considered fearing in life was death; how I would die, when I would die, who would die in my life. Simply the entire idea of death seemed a frightening prospect to me. Yet it had never crossed my mind to really fear it, because I had faced death many times before without fear. But I had never been without some form of defense during those times.

Now, however, was different.

Now, I was without a weapon, without any aid, and without any concrete hope. I knew perfectly well that death was on my doorstep. For the first time in my life, I felt true fear.

I feared death.

"Do you know how long I have waited for this moment?" Zira whispered again, so calmly and yet so coldly. "The long years of waiting that I've endured for the right moment to exact my revenge on you?"

She chuckled softly, and the sound sent shivers down my spine. My eyes remained shut. Somewhere ahead of me, I heard Sarabi whisper.

"Ayden…"

The fear in my mother's voice reflected that of which I felt. My hands were shaking lightly.

"Stand up." Zira hissed quietly in my ear. "Stand up and face me. Stand up and pay for your actions. Stand up and take your punishment. Stand up and _face me_."

Slowly, I obeyed. If I was going to die, then I would die like a man; standing up and defending myself, even if I had no defense at all. I was not going to die shaking on the ground like a coward.

I stood up to my full height and opened my eyes. I saw Sarabi, subdued underneath the two Outsiders. Tears streamed down her face as she watched her son stand up to face death. Feebly, I smiled at her, but it was gone instantly. The smile felt strange and unnatural on my face.

I saw Vitani, who stared at me with satisfaction and yet, there was clear uncertainty in her crystal blue eyes. Perhaps there would still be hope for her yet…

I looked back at my mother one last time, holding on to the details of her beautiful face, and then I turned. The action seemed to take an eternity. My feet shuffled like snails as I turned slowly to face Zira.

Finally, she was in full view. Her pointed face seemed more evil than I remembered. Her fur stood on end from anticipation of the moment she had long waited for. Her eyes reflected the greedy hunger that was always ever so present in them. Her grin showed true satisfaction to see how she was finally getting what she desired.

"Very good," she hissed at me.

My hands shook violently with fear as I stared into her yellow eyes, waiting…

Waiting…

As Zira began to circle me, her grin vanished for a moment, replaced with a look of uncertainty, as if she was deciding what to do next. Instantly, it was back on her face and she spoke one last time.

"Long live the king."

And then she swiped at me.

Her claws dug into my left side and she tensed her paw so that I was hooked to her. With incredible power, she swung her paw around, never unclenching her claws. With a sickening _R-r-r-ip! _I was wrenched from her claws and flew across the gorge.

"_Ayden!_" Sarabi screamed in horror, her voice trembling with tears.

I hit a large boulder and fell in a slump to the ground, screaming in agony. Blinking through tears, I lifted my face from the dirt to look at my side, which was searing in pain.

My stomach clenched…and I _literally_ saw it do so.

She had ripped the skin clean off along with some muscle, and a mass of dark red blood was seeping from the wound onto the ground.

With a roar, Zira came out of nowhere and I suddenly was being dragged backwards by my right leg. Her teeth dug mercilessly deep into my calf and I screamed again.

She lifted her head quickly and then snapped it down again. My body flew up and down with it like a rag doll. With a horrible _crack_, I felt the bones in my calf snap cleanly in half, followed by several piercings of the flesh in my leg. The broken bones had stabbed out of my leg and out of my body.

The pain was beyond anything I had ever felt in my entire life. It was as if a thousand knives had pierced my leg and were being mercilessly twisted around and around within each entry point.

Zira released my leg and used her head to flip me over onto my back. I screamed as her head pushed into my mauled side. In the background, I heard Sarabi screaming and struggling painfully against her captors to try and get herself free.

Zira flipped me onto my back and within an instant, began hacking and slashing at my entire front. Each time, she sunk her claws into the flesh and drug them down, quickly removing them, only to be replaced by her other paw. Over and over again she did this. From each new wound that she dug, a fresh wave of pain exploded from it followed by a flow of warmth that I knew to be blood. With every ounce of strength I could muster, I grabbed her by the jaws and tried reaching for her eyes, but it did no good. Zira smacked my arms away with one paw and quickly grabbed my right arm in her jaws, biting as hard as she could. I felt the bones break cleanly in several places, and screamed in utter agony. She released my right arm, only to repeat the same process with my left one. Both of my arms were now completely useless.

Whenever she struck my chest, I would feel a rib or two crack. Several times, I felt them puncture some unknown organ inside of me and it would only intensify my screaming. One of the ribs punctured another organ at one point, and I suddenly found it very difficult to breath. I realized that it was one of my lungs.

A horrible realization came to me. Zira was not only killing me, but she was _torturing_ me. And what was worse, she was doing it in front of Sarabi. She was making Sarabi watch her son die horribly and painfully right in front of her eyes.

Zira kept on slashing up and down my entire body from my face all the way down to my legs, roaring and growling the entire time. Every impact that hit a bone caused an intense pain that I knew meant the bone had been broken.

Tears streamed down my face as the pain coursed endlessly throughout my body. It was as if I had been lit on fire and was being stoked with endless supplies of gasoline. Through the entire ordeal, I screamed. I screamed like I had never done before, for this pain was like none I had ever felt before.

Zira backed off for a moment and caught her breath, while I lay on my back screaming in agony.

I gritted my teeth and opened my mouth to talk.

"You…you'll never….AHHH!...be ruler…o-AHHH!!!...of the Pride Lands! AHHHH!! _**NEVER!!!**_" I screamed and spluttered through mouthfuls of blood.

Zira growled and lunged at me again, this time latching onto my right side with her teeth. I grunted as her teeth pierced my already mauled skin and she lost her grip, accidentally tearing out a very large chunk of my side. I screamed again as the pain shot through me again, and it suddenly became, if possible, too much.

I rolled on my right side, and vomited onto the ground.

Zira laughed maniacally at me, keeping her eyes on me all the while. I coughed and spluttered as I tasted a mixture of bile and blood, screaming in torturous agony all the while.

"AYDEN! NO!" Sarabi screamed in absolute anguish.

"Look at how far the mighty have fallen!" Zira cried gleefully, her face covered and dripping with blood; _my _blood. "I _told_ you, didn't I? I told you that you would rue the day you ever crossed me! That I would kill you _personally_!"

She growled the last word and lunged at me a third time, this time latching onto my unbroken leg. She quickly remedied that, which sent another agonizing shock of pain through my mangled body.

"And now…" She breathed heavily in my ear. "…for the finishing touch."

She flipped me back onto my back and then lunged at my legs again. She grabbed both of them in her jaws and lifted her head so that I was partway off the ground.

With amazing force, she flung her head to the right and sent me flying across the gulch. At full force, I smashed my back into the wall. Upon the impact, I felt the worst pain of all as something in my back made a loud and shattering _CRACK_.

My spine.

I fell to the ground, screaming uncontrollably as my entire body protested in pain.

Except…

From my stomach down, I felt nothing. No pain, no movement, no feeling at all. There was nothing. It felt like I could reach down to touch it and my hand could simply pass through nothingness. It was as if my body simply ended right underneath my ribcage.

She had severed my spine. I was now completely crippled from my stomach down.

The pain had stopped below there, but above, it was beyond excruciating. I lay there screaming, panting, waiting for more; waiting for Zira to continue torturing me. But she didn't.

She sauntered up to me, breathing very heavily and sat down. Now she was watching me, her tail twitching lazily like a house cats'.

"I am going to watch you die now Ayden." She said calmly with a smirk. "I am going to sit here and watch you die slowly from my handiwork. Take your time_. I am in no hurry_."

I gagged and spluttered through the blood and bile in my mouth, still screaming. I am unsure of how long the screaming lasted. The pain made me lose track of everything else. Time seemed to cease existing. All I knew was pain. Absolute and sheer pain the likes of which I had never even dreamed could be possible.

After a while, the screaming stopped. I was quickly losing energy and I grew very weary and tired. This was not the tired that one feels when it is time to rest. It is an exhaustion that is beyond any other. My body was in absolute shock from what had been dealt to it. This exhaustion was the kind that accompanied death. I could, quite literally, feel my life force diminishing within me.

My vision began to fade in and out, becoming unfocused and then clear before becoming unfocused again.

I had lapses of memory and thought where, at one point I would be totally conscious within my mind and then at other points there would be nothing…

…

This was like nothing I had ever experienced in my life.

…

They say that your life flashes before your eyes when you die, and they are right.

…

I saw my first memory ever; I saw my mother and father playing with me in the city park when I was only three…

I saw the day my brother was brought home from the hospital...

I saw me and him playing together when I was ten and he was five…

I saw our first safari trip as a family where we had seen an elephant…

I saw my parents by a Christmas tree, excitedly handing my brother and I presents from Santa…

I saw the day we took our family portrait together…

I saw our last safari trip together…

I saw the fiery inferno that used to be a jeep…

I saw Mufasa and Sarabi smiling at me and asking me to stay with them…

I saw Simba and Nala as cubs playing together…

I saw Simba swimming around with me as I bathed in my spot…

I saw Mufasa's broken body at the bottom of the gorge…

I saw Simba's footprints that flew over the edge of the cliff…

I saw Scar and Zira ascending to power…

I saw a broken and saddened Nala when she found out that her mother had been killed…

I saw Sarabi struggle through hardships that nobody should ever struggle through…

I saw hundreds of hyenas swarming through the Pride Lands

I saw Simba again, fully grown and sporting a mane…

I saw Mufasa's image in the clouds…

I saw Simba and I returning to Pride Rock and overthrowing Scar…

I saw the two of us standing on Pride Rock roaring…

I saw the birth and presentation of Tanabi…

I saw the birth and presentation of Kiara…

I saw the betrayal and banishment of Zira and the Outsiders…

I saw with heartbreak, Nuka, Kovu and Vitani having to go with her…

I saw the return of Kamau…

I saw Simba pouncing at me after finally giving into his instincts…

I saw myself running from Simba in the grasslands, trying desperately to get away from the Pride Lands....from the home that I did not belong to…

I saw Simba and Kamau becoming close…

I saw Kovu, renouncing his evil ways and joining with our Pride…

I saw Sarabi hugging onto me within this very same gulch…

I saw Zira's evil eyes….

So many mistakes in one's life that I wish I could have gone back to fix…and yet there were so many good outcomes that, if not for those mistakes, would have turned out entirely differently.

My life had been fulfilling and full. It had been happy, it had been hard, and it had been difficult…but ultimately, it was happy.

I knew that I was leaving this life with the knowledge that I had done some good. I had saved a Pride of lions from a tyrant, and had prepared them well for this next one who would attempt to claim the throne. I knew that, despite my absence, the Pride could succeed in saving the Pride Lands once again.

_Well…at least now you are leaving. Things will go back to the way things should have been._

Everything seemed to grow dark…my vision was permanently blurred. Breathing became harder and harder as my punctured lung became pained with each intake. I began to feel a sinking feeling…as if I was sinking into myself. My vision began to move away from me, as if I was actually moving away from the windows that were my eyes. A blanket of darkness began to move over me and started to numb the pain. Now my upper half began to feel like my lower half…slowly, it started to feel as if it was simply not there.

Somewhere, within my echoed hearing, I heard my mother sob my name.

"Oh Ayden…" she cried.

I had to say something to comfort her…I knew nothing could truly do so, but I had to try.

"M-m-mom…" I said, barely able to move my lips…they seemed so far away now…

"I-…I…lov-love…you."

And with that, all the breath in my body escaped over my lips, and I succumbed to the ever increasing darkness that blanketed over me. My entire upper half felt like it no longer existed…that I was completely detached from my body, merely floating in a space of nothingness, with only the faint shrinking window of my vision still tying me to life. All I could see now was the blood-red sky as the sun was still setting.

_Wow…Zira did this really quickly…it felt like a lot longer._

Zira's face moved into my view, her evil eyes glinting with the glow of victory. Her teeth, exposed by her devilish grin, dripped with my own blood. Her maniacal chuckling echoed in my ears, though the sound grew fainter and fainter

And then the windows grew so far away that I could not see her…nor anything else.

Finally, I succumbed to the darkness that was death.

And I knew no more.

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**I am SO sorry guys! I really am...and just to clarify, YES Ayden REALLY is dead. This isn't a dream of his, its not his imagination, its not Zira's imagination, none of that. Plain and simple, he was mauled by Zira to death. **

**_HOWEVER..._**

**Ayden's story IS NOT OVER YET. I GUARANTEE, you will love the ending of this story. Just stick with it, and i promise you'll love it. Again, i'm sorry for this, but it IS necessary to progress the story in the direction i want to go. You'll see why soon enough...**


	11. A Brother, A Friend, A King

**First, i just wanna apologize for several things...**

**I'm sorry it took me this long to update...i know you're hanging on to my every word with the story now, and to wait this long, especially after the *cough* _events_ *cough* from the last chapter. I blame the site for it. For the last three days, the stupid site hasn't been letting me login, which i'm sure many of you all experienced as well. But its working now!  
**

**Also (again), i'm really sorry for what happened last chapter...I don't particularly like killing off good characters, ESPECIALLY main characters, but it IS necessary to progress the story forward. Trust me, you'll be glad this happened by the end of the story. Kay?**

**I know that you can't see how or why, but Ayden's story is not over yet. I PROMISE you, he's still here.**

**Enjoy!  
**

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**Chapter 11 – A Brother, A Friend, A Pride Member**

**----Simba----**

Ayden and Mother had been gone for several hours, but I was not worried. They frequently took long walks together, enjoying each other's company. And considering that Ayden would be leaving us soon, he needed that precious and limited time with every one of his family members.

After we had finished our training, we all dispersed to go relax for a while. As I left the grasslands where we trained, I noticed that Ayden had left his knife behind. A twinge of worry sprang up, but I brushed it off.

_Ayden's tough. Besides, he's with Mom. If anything happens, he won't be totally defenseless._

I wandered around for a bit, enjoying the beauty of the Pride Lands. I kept an eye out for Ayden and Mother, but I didn't see either of them. After a few hours of wandering, I started to get anxious about them. They were never gone for too long.

After a while, I grew thirsty, so I wandered over to the watering hole, hoping that maybe I'd see them there.

I pushed through the tall grass until the watering hole came into view. Kamau, Tanabi, and Kovu were all sitting around, laughing happily. Kovu, apparently, had jumped into the watering hole and splashed Kamau. I grinned when they saw me enter the clearing.

"Hey Dad," Tanabi called.

"Hey guys," I said back to them. "Enjoying yourselves?"

"Oh yeah!" Kovu said happily, shaking the water from his mane onto Kamau, who smiled as he recoiled from the shower.

I smiled too, and walked down and lapped up some water. When my thirst was satisfied, I looked back up at the three of them.

"Have any of you seen Ayden and Mother? They've been gone for a while, and usually they're back by now."

All three of them shook their heads. I sighed.

"Oh, I don't think you'll be finding them around here anytime soon," came a cold voice from behind me. I whirled around and saw Vitani standing on a rock on the other side of the watering hole. Instantly my smile vanished, replaced by a glare. Kovu and Tanabi growled at Vitani. But Kamau simply looked concerned.

"Where are they?" I growled low in my throat.

"Let's see…bad news first or worst news? Take your pick…" Vitani said in mock thought.

I roared at her and she looked up at me, startled. Then she spoke. "Bad news first I guess. We have Sarabi. If you ever want to see her alive again, then meet Zira and the Outsiders in the gorge when the moon is high."

Kovu growled at his sister. "Vitani leave Sarabi out of this!" Kovu cried. "It's not her you want! It's me, I betrayed the Outlanders!"

"No it isn't you we want!" Vitani growled angrily. She whirled her head towards me and Kamau. "It's _them._"

I growled at her, but she merely smiled. "If you want to see Sarabi alive again, then you will renounce your title as King to Zira."

She turned to leave, but I roared at her.

"What about Ayden? What have you done with him?"

Vitani stopped and looked around her shoulder at me. She spoke in a cold voice, but there was something more in there…something like sadness.

"I assure you, I have done nothing with him," she sighed, closing her eyes. "He can be found at the gulch about two miles northeast from here."

And with that, she turned back and sprinted to the east towards the gorge.

Terror washed over me and I was torn two ways. In the east, I had my mother being held hostage, waiting for me to come and renounce my title to save her. And to the northeast, Ayden sat waiting in some unknown condition.

Kamau walked up to me, fear in his eyes too. "Which do we go to first?"

My mouth trembled for a second, as I debated where to go first. Then I spoke, my voice shaking.

"She didn't say that Ayden was captured. We're going to need his help if we're going to fight. We must get to him quickly."

Kovu and Kamau nodded. I turned and looked at Pride Rock. I roared loudly, and only a moment later, the entire Pride had shown up, surrounding the three of us.

"Zira has captured Sarabi and taken her to the eastern gorge. She has also abducted Ayden, and left him in the northeastern gulch. We believe that he is safe, but we need his help if we are to fight for Sarabi's life. Let's move out!"

As one, the Pride roared in anger and fury, and then together we sprinted out to the northeast to aid our King. Kovu, Kamau, Tanabi, Kiara, Nala, and I all ran at the front of the Pride, leading them on.

A horrible feeling grew in my stomach as we drew nearer and nearer to the gulch. I had to get there to find and help Ayden, but something told me that I didn't want to go there. Something in my gut told me that something horrible had happened to him.

_It's all in your head. He'll be fine! You'll see!_

I desperately hoped so, as I picked up speed.

After a few minutes of running, we finally reached the entrance to the gulch. I halted and the Pride followed suit.

"We need to tread lightly. This could be a trap," I said quietly to them all. "Nala, Tanabi, Kiara, Kovu, and Kamau will come with me to see if it's safe. If we need help, I'll roar for the rest of you to follow us. Understood?"

Everybody nodded. Together, the six of us turned and walked slowly through the gulch, keeping our eyes peeled for any sign of danger. After a minute or two, we decided to split up so we could cover more ground.

The tension grew as we weaved in and out of the rocks, searching for our King.

"Ayden!" I called out, "Are you there? Ayden!"

Silence.

I called out to him again.

Still, there was no answer.

Suddenly, a stifled cry came from behind a rock ten feet away.

"Oh no! Oh…"

Kiara was crying, and the sound made my heart plummet into my stomach. I sprinted up to the rock and whirled around it, dreading what I was going to see.

Kiara lay on the ground, her paws over her face, sobbing quietly. My eyes traveled from her hidden face into the direction that she was facing.

My legs gave out from under me and I fell to the ground.

Ayden, my brother, my best friend, my King, lay dead against the rock, blood pooling around him. All across his body were countless wounds. It was almost impossible to tell that it was him because his body was so mangled, mauled, and twisted. But there was only one creature in the Pride Lands that even resembled this. This was unmistakably Ayden.

For a moment, I could not tear my eyes away from the terrible sight before me. My mouth hung open and I shook my head in disbelief.

_It can't be! It just can't be! This isn't him! Ayden's not…_

But I couldn't think the word. It was just too devastating. It was unreal. Tears filled my eyes and spilled over like waterfalls as I stared at my mangled and gone best friend.

Kovu, Kamau, Nala, and Tanabi came running around the corner, all speaking at once.

"Dad, what's up?"

"What happened to you two?"

"Is that…"

"Oh no…"

Around me was a shifting of paws as my family looked down at our fallen brother.

I gritted my teeth as my jaw trembled, pain boiling up inside of my heavy heart. The term "heartache" would be an understatement as to how much pain I was in. I growled into the dirt and raised my head, roaring out in agonizing emotion.

At my roar, the Pride came sprinting around the rocks, searching for signs of danger. I was bombarded with questions of what was going on, but as soon as they saw Ayden's mangled body, they had their answer. A clamoring of "oh no's" and "Ayden's" echoed off the walls of the gulch.

I'm not sure how long we sat there weeping pools into the dirt. All I know is that the world seemed to rend itself in half. I was amazed that the world did not stop what they were doing and realize what was going on; they didn't realize that this incredible soul was gone from our midst. This one loss was as heavy as, if not heavier, than that of my father. Ayden couldn't be dead. He just _couldn't!_

I had neither strength nor desire to stand up. All I wanted to do was lay here and mourn the loss of my friend, my brother, and my King.

After some time, I felt a nudge at my side. I looked up, misty eyed, into those of my mate.

"Simba…" she said calmly, her eyes filled with tears as well. "I know this is hard, but we have to go. Zira still has Sarabi."

And now a new emotion became present. Anger…hatred…loathing.

"Zira…" I growled.

Shakily, I stood up, looking around at the Pride, who all had their heads bowed.

"Listen up!" I announced, my voice shaking with a mixture of sadness and rage. "The time to mourn will be later. Right now, we have a more pressing issue. Sarabi is still being held hostage by Zira. We MUST save her! Make your way out of here. We will be out in a second."

The Pride roared their approval, and began their way out of the gulch. I watched until they made their way around the corner. Then I stared back down at Ayden. Though his body showed that he must have been in agonizing pain, his face was calm. His eyes were closed. Had it not been for the gore and blood, one might have thought he was sleeping.

I leaned down to his face, tears filling my eyes again. Kamau, Kovu, Nala, Kiara, and Tanabi all had their eyes on me.

"I will miss you…my brother. My King. You will not have died in vain. Rest in peace."

I nuzzled his motionless and cold face. Then I leaned up, and with tears in my eyes, stared down at his lifeless body. Suddenly, I couldn't look at him anymore. I turned and nodded to my family, who all stared at me, tears falling down their faces.

"Let's go." I said quietly.

I turned my head and stared at the end of the gulch. My eyes contracted, and though my heart was heavy and laden with grief, my anger overpowered it. Nothing could possibly stand in my way to reach my goal. Nothing would stop me from reaching Zira and ripping her throat out.

"It ends now." I said darkly.

I growled low in my throat as a tear fell down my face. Then I released a roar of immense magnitude. My family burst into a run around me, roaring their pain and anger as well.

I waited for them to round the corner before turning back one last time to look at Ayden's body. I closed my eyes as they rested on his almost unrecognizable face.

"I will avenge you, brother."

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**Sorry for the sadness, but you'll love why this is happening! Just hang on for about two more chapters!**

**Expect the next chapter soon...**


	12. Awakening

**Alrighty then guys...i know you've been waiting for this, so i won't make you wait any more. Here is what happened to Ayden after his death! Enjoy!

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Chapter 12 – Awakening

**----Ayden----**

I suddenly and inexplicably found myself surrounded by dazzling, bright white light. I raised my hands and recoiled instinctively to shield my eyes from the light.

_Wait a minute…_

I stopped and took a moment to think that over, unsure if what I was feeling was real.

I moved my arm.

My arms weren't broken!

Tensely, I kicked my foot.

I could move my legs again!

Slowly, I moved to sit up, bracing myself for the immense pain. But it never came. I sat up to my full height and found that, miraculously, my spine was perfectly mended. I looked down to see my wounds, taking note that I was completely naked. My stomach and chest were fully healed, as were my arms and legs. There were no scratch marks, no deep gauges, no blood, nothing. All the blood and gore was gone. There was neither scab nor scar to signify that anything had happened. In fact, my body was perfect, as if it had never been touched before.

I looked up, my eyes fully adjusted, to see what was going on.

_Where am I?_

My mouth fell open as I recognized the room I was situated in.

_This is impossible!_

It was my old room from my old house across the seas. It was the place I had always gone for solitude. It was my safe place. It was_ my _room.

Though it was small, it was quite spacious. All around the walls were the ever familiar posters of movies and bands I had long since forgotten. My old dresser sat next to a closed, plain white door that led out into the rest of my house. The window right above my bed was shining with a beam of endless sunlight that had shone down right onto my pillow where my head had rested. Across from my bed was a small closet with rolling doors. Next to the closet was a full sized mirror, mounted on the wall.

I leapt up from the bed and swiftly crossed the room to the mirror where I examined myself.

My mouth fell open.

I was no longer a 22-year-old adult. Instead, I was my 16-year-old self again. My face was rounder with the little of baby fat that still remained. My hair was neat and trimmed professionally, and there was no sign of facial hair at all. Last of all, I noticed the absence of the scar from my face.

A horrible realization came to me, and my breathing became shallow.

"It was all…a dream?" I whispered to myself.

It couldn't have all been a dream! It seemed so real! It was so intricate! I had gotten to know them all so well! And now I wake up to find that none of that was real? The emotions? The pain? The suffering? The kingship? Simba? Sarabi? Kamau?

None of it had actually happened. My mind had fabricated the entire story to entertain myself in my sleep.

_It didn't happen._

I sighed deeply and shed a single tear.

_It didn't happen_.

I opened my closet to retrieve some clothes for the day. What I saw confused me greatly.

Instead of a full closet of hung up clothes and pants, there was only one hanger. That was all. Just a hanger with flowing white silk robes dangling delicately from its angles.

Was this some sort of joke?

Warily, I grabbed the robes off of the hanger and slipped into them with ease. They were the most comfortable garment that I had ever worn. Silky smooth and pearly white, they were almost weightless. With every movement I made, they flowed lazily in the air.

I looked around for my shoes, but hard as I looked, I could not find them. Thinking about how odd this whole thing was, I shrugged and walked to the door barefoot. I grabbed the handle, thinking how strange it felt to do so after that realistic dream, and twisted the knob. The door swung open and I stepped out.

Once again, my mouth fell open.

This was not my house. My house did not have a hundred story high, white marble hallways lined with hundreds upon hundreds of doors made of marble and lit by gigantic windows that showed perfect blue skies and fluffy white clouds. My house was not filled with a crowd, consisting of people and animals alike, garbed in multicolor flowing robes, the exact same material as mine.

This was someplace entirely different.

I whirled around to make sure that it had been my room that I stepped out of, and sure enough there it was. My bed, my posters, my window, it was all there.

Slowly, I shut my door, which was totally different on this side of the room. Instead of a simple whitewood door, it was perfectly smooth marble stone. The handle to the door was that of a lion's body, the front and back legs being what attached it to the door. The only defect in the smooth and perfect marble was an etching right in the center of the door.

Ayden Michael Sumter

King of Pride Rock

Below the engraving was another etching. This one was a depiction of a majestic lion standing, one paw raised, roaring to the heavens, his mane flowing in an unseen breeze.

I stared bewilderedly at the door for a moment.

_Ayden Michael Sumter. That is my name._

I had almost forgotten that I was known as more than just Ayden. I had a last name too. That last name was the only thing that I ever had that tied me to my past life. It was a reminder of my life with humans.

_King of Pride Rock_.

So it wasn't a dream. Why else would that title be on the door to my room?

But _was _it my room? It looked exactly like it, but it was not in my house at all. I had no idea where I was. From what I could see, it was a huge building, possibly a palace of sorts. There was no other explanation for the marble.

Slowly it dawned on me.

Looking around, I called out to the nearest person to me.

"Umm…excuse me!"

A German Shepard, garbed in a unique sky blue robe, turned to me.

"You talkin' to me?" he asked.

"Yeah, can you tell me where I am?" I asked him

The German Shepard rolled his eyes and smiled. "I should have guessed. Every time somebody stops me to ask somethin', it's always 'Where am I?'"

"…and can you tell me?" I asked, snapping him out of his momentary lapse of attention.

"Oh yeah, sure!" he exclaimed. "You're in Heaven."

My thoughts were confirmed. So this _was_ Heaven.

I took a deep breath, smiled at the German Shepard, and said, "Thank you. Erm, can you tell me what I'm supposed to do now."

"Well that depends." He said seriously.

"On what?" I urged.

"On whether or not you just came from that room behind you."

I looked behind me at the door that had my name etched into it.

"Are you Ayden Michael Sumter?" he asked me curiously.

"Yes." I said, not used to my full name. It had been years since I had heard it. "Just Ayden." I corrected.

"Well then that explains why you asked me of all people." He said to himself.

"Huh?"

"Never mind." Said the German Shepard, shaking his head. "Alrighty then Ayden, just follow me. You get to do something really special during your stay here."

And with that, he turned to the left and headed down the hallway. Staring at him for a moment, wondering what was going on, I realized that I was losing him. I ran to catch up with him and stayed at his side the entire time.

"So you know my name," I said to the German Shepard. "Can you tell me yours?"  
"Yup." He said happily. "I am Charles B. Barkin. Charlie for short."

_Who would name a dog Charlie? _I thought to myself. The name struck a familiar bell, but I could not place where I had heard it before. I shrugged it off, figuring it was just my imagination.

Together, Charlie and I walked down the hallway, weaving in and out of the crowd of animals and people.

"You know," I thought out loud, "I always pictured Heaven to be full of just people. I always pictured that animals had their own place to go."

"So did I when I first came here." Charlie replied merrily. "I was told that all dogs go to heaven, but I soon found out that was not entirely true. We all just go the same place. And I mean _all_. Well, all animals anyways. Humans pass through judgment, but generally animals are naturally innocent, so we kinda get a free ride. Just so long as we don't screw up really big in our lives on Earth anyways. It's the rare animal who does pass through judgment, and when they do...its never good."

He looked back up at me and added, "And it's the rare human indeed who doesn't pass through judgment."

I looked at him curiously. "What? Are you saying that I didn't go through?"

He grinned up at me. "You're a very special case kid."

As Charlie and I talked, I couldn't help but notice that I was being stared at by every person that we passed, animal and human alike, though both looked at me in totally different ways. The humans had a curious but kind look on their face, while the animals all beamed and smiled at me.

I also noticed that of every person and animal I had seen, I was the only one wearing a white robe. Everybody else had a different color. Some colors I saw repeated, but not once did I see a silky white robe like the one I was wearing.

When I voiced these concerns to Charlie, he just smiled and said, "Ah, now I'm not supposed to say why. Don't worry though pal, you'll find out soon enough."

Thoroughly confused, I looked up from Charlie and noticed that the hallway was almost coming to an end. Two double doors that reached all the way up to the ceiling stood majestically at the end of the huge hallway. On the doors was a giant indented image of a lion with a wild mane and a stern but kind look on its face. As we drew closer, I saw that the image was comprised of individual etchings that each depicted a single lion in a different position.

As we came closer and closer to the door, the crowd began to part out of our way. But instead of continuing walking, they stood on either side of the hall, watching as Charlie and I passed through. I wanted to say something to Charlie about this, but thought better of it. We reached the door and Charlie stopped before it.

"Sorry kid, but you're on your own from here." He said. "It was cool to actually meet you! I never thought it would be me to see you when you finally came! That makes two of you in my lifetime!"

"Erm…thanks?" I said confusedly.

"Good luck kid, and hope to see you here again!"

And with that, Charlie turned around and walked off. A small wiener-dog ran out from the crowd and joined Charlie as he walked down the aisle of people and animals.

I turned back to the door. The door handles were gigantic versions of the exact same one that had been on my door; lions with their front and hind legs being what attached them to the door.

Tensely, I reached out and grasped the handles for both doors. I pulled, expecting resistance because of the door's sheer size, but to my surprise, they pulled open with ease.

I opened them both enough for me to get inside, and then did so. Once inside, I turned around, grabbed the handles on the other side of the doors, and pulled them shut.

I turned back around to face whatever was in this room, and found myself face-to-face with a very familiar lion: A lion who had a rusty brown pelt, a creamy underbelly, a jet black mane, and deep-set green eyes.

Scar.

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**Ooh...cliffhanger!**

**For those of you who don't know, Charlie is a character from Don Bluth's _All Dogs Go To Heaven_, to which i do not own the copyrights. It took me some time to decide who Ayden should meet in Heaven, and Charlie sorta stuck out for me. And in a sense, he's sorta connected. You'll see why in the next chapter.**

**Like i said, Ayden's story is not over yet. Keep reading! We're nearing the climax of the story!**


	13. The Kings of the Past

**Alrighty then, sorry for the wait readers...this was an incredibly important chapter and it needed to be done as delicately as possible. But it's here now, and expect 14 VERY soon! Enjoy!  


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Chapter 13 – The Kings of the Past**

"You…" I whispered tensely.

Scar sighed and hung his head. "Yes Ayden, it is me. I am here to-"

"No! You're not supposed to be here!" I cried reaching down to my pocket, only to realize that the robes had none and that my knife was not on me.

"Get away from me!" I yelled, turning and running across the hall, which was empty apart from Scar and myself.

There was a roar behind me, and in a flash, Scar was standing in front of me.

I skidded to a halt, absolutely bewildered. As fast as lions could run, there was no way that any lion could have gotten in front of me that fast.

I turned around and sprinted in the opposite direction, only to be stopped several feet ahead by Scar, who again sat silently staring, as though he had been sitting there the entire time.

There was no escaping him.

"How are you doing this?" I asked, in slight hysterics.

"The physical laws of the world below don't apply here," he replied simply. "Ayden, you must listen to me. Please, I beg you…"

I slowly backed up against the wall, staring into the eyes of the one who I despised, the one who had caused me, my Pride, my mother, and so many other innocents so much suffering and torment.

…and as I stared, I could not help but notice the absence of a scar over his left eye.

Was this Scar then? Or was it Scar's kinder and better counterpart, Taka?

I found my voice and managed to whisper, "Who are you?"

I knew that his answer would determine what I should do next.

The lion before stared for a moment. Then he smiled; not the smile that I knew from Scar, but a kind smile, one that reflected true goodness and decency.

"I am Taka."

Charlie's words reverberated in my mind, and I grew even more confused.

"_It's the rare animal who does pass through Judgment, and when they do...its never good." _

I knew that if any animal was rare enough to pass through Judgment, it would be Scar.

"Why are you here?" I asked. "Why are you in Heaven? Didn't you pass through Judgment?"

I knew the question was rude, but I figured it was justified when considering his actions.

He sighed and stared at the ground. "Yes, I did. I had much to answer for. I mercilessly slaughtered innocents. I tortured and caused suffering to the entire Pride, including my own family."

"That's a bit of an understatement I would say," I said harshly. Part of me wished that I would not speak so cruelly to him, but he had done far worse to me, so I felt it was justified.

"Yes," he said quietly. "You have every right imaginable to be angry with me. That, I am more than deserving of."

I stared at him bewilderedly. Was he serious? Did he really feel this bad for how he treated us all?

He continued. "After my death, I found myself in the Hall of the Great Kings, where all the Kings of the Past rule, including my brother. Aiehu, the high king, gave me the chance to repent for my sins in life or be forever damned. Taka, the good lion I once was, knew that I must repent, so I did. Not out of fear of damnation, but out of guilt and compassion for the ones I had hurt. The lion you see before you is not the one you knew, Ayden."

He looked up at me, true remorse in his eyes. "I know it will be hard for you to forgive me, maybe even impossible. So I will not ask it from you. I am not deserving of it."

I watched him for a moment. Never before had I seen Scar…._Taka_ in this state. He truly was tormented by his actions, and the shame was consuming him. Though he had repented, and though he was now living in Heaven, he still was plagued by the horrible deeds that he allowed himself to commit against so many.

He wanted forgiveness from me…he wanted forgiveness from the one he loathed who loathed him back tenfold.

_Can I even do it?_

I eased from the wall and took a step forward.

"Taka," I began slowly, "if what you are saying is true, and since there seems to be nothing to prove otherwise…"

I trailed off.

_What am I doing?_

Was I actually about to go through with this? Was I willing to put my hate aside? Was I able to forget my anger? Could I forget the memories? The suffering? The pain?

A more reasonable and kinder voice echoed through my subconscious.

_Simba did…_

I sighed. Simba had been able to put his hate aside and accept Kamau for who he was.

This was clearly not Scar. This was, indeed, his kinder, gentler, and true self, Taka. And it was very clear that he was haunted by his crimes that he had committed in his life.

If Simba could do it, then so could I.

"…Then I forgive you." I finished.

Taka smiled at me, his eyes shimmering. "Thank you Ayden. You have no idea how much that means to me. I always did admire your capacity for good, even if I never showed it."

I smiled back at him, wondering if what I had just done was the right thing.

_It was…_

Taka's face turned serious and he turned to look down the hall. Then he looked back at me. "Now if you please, follow me. There is much to do and very little time to do it."

He turned and started walking down the hall. I followed him, staring around at the hall, while keeping near him. The hall was almost exactly like the one I just came from; pure white marble climbing up to a point where the ceiling was not visible. The walls were lined with windows that looked out upon blue skies and pure white clouds. The only difference between this hallway and the one before was that this one opened up about a hundred yards down to the outside.

"What is this place?" I asked, trying to break the silence.

"_Astra de Leo_," he replied, to which I stared at him confusedly. "It means 'Leo's Star'. This is the place in Heaven where all lions go when they pass on."

"So why was I brought to a place for lions if I'm a human?" I asked.

"I can't tell you that. I'm sorry."

Silently, Taka and I made our way down the hall. The silence was deafening, and I was getting slightly anxious at what was in store for me. Charlie had said that I had not passed through judgment. Was I going to be punished for this? Then again, he said that I was a special case and he seemed happy about it, so I couldn't be in any kind of trouble.

_Maybe they're gonna send me back…_

"Wishful thinking…" I said to myself out loud.

"What's that?" Taka said, turning to me.

"Sorry…just thinking out loud," I replied quickly. "So where exactly are you taking me?

"Its not far now," he replied, smiling.

I looked and noticed that we had passed the threshold of the hallway and gone outside. I looked around and saw nothing but clouds and sky as far as the eye could see. The very ground that I stood on was a cloud. However, that was not the most noticeable thing of the area.

Everywhere, there were lions. Hundreds of them were lying around, laughing, sleeping, talking, relaxing, and simply enjoying themselves.

"This is incredible…" I said in awe.

At my voice, the lions all looked at me, and reacted in a way that I was not expecting. A clamoring of voices rose from around me, all sounding happily surprised.

"It's him!"

"He's here!"

"The prophecy has come to pass!"

"Ayden?"

I recognized that voice. I whirled around excitedly to stare into the eyes of none other than Yetunde, the lioness who had taken Kamau as a cub and raised him.

"Yetunde? Is that you?" I asked incredulously.

"Ayden!" she cried happily. She rushed forward and placed a paw around my shoulder in an embrace. "Oh, it's so good to see you again!"

"It's good to see you too Yetunde!" I said, jubilation radiating from me.

"Oh Ayden, you have to tell me! How is Kamau?" she asked, releasing me from the embrace.

"He's fine. More than that actually, he's great!" I said. "He came back to the Pride about a month ago and he's been accepted already. He's so wise, just like his mother. You did a great job raising him Yetunde. It shows."

Yetunde swelled with happiness, and a tear fell down her face. "I'm so glad to hear it Ayden."

"Ayden?"

Yet another voice that I recognized! I looked from Yetunde to see Sarafina, Kala, and Sekou, all of whom were beaming at me.

"Sarafina…" I whispered, a tear falling down my face as I stared at her.

Nala's mother, who had tragically died at the claws of a pack of hyenas during Scar's rule, looked at me with shimmering eyes, pure joy radiating off of her. She smiled and rushed forward for me to hug her.

"It's so good to see you!" I said happily.

"You as well," she replied, embracing me back.

I released the embrace and backed up so I could look at them all. Sekou looked exactly like his son, except for his messier mane and larger build. Kala resembled Vitani, except she looked older and kinder.

"I'm sorry to break up this reunion," interrupted Taka, "but our time is limited. We must be going Ayden."

"Our time is limited?" I repeated incredulously, smiling slightly. "We're in Heaven Taka! We have all the time there could possibly be!"

"No Ayden, there is something that must be done, and it must be done now," Taka said solemnly. "Please Ayden, I'm not allowed to say what. Just please follow me. We must be quick."

I opened my mouth to argue, but Yetunde interrupted.

"He's right Ayden. There is something far more important that must be dealt with. Go with him."

So my mind was made up for me. I couldn't stay and catch up, because there was something that needed to happen that concerned me, and I couldn't know.

_I hate being kept out of the loop…_

Reluctantly, I turned to follow Taka again, waving to the lions I knew and loved.

"Good luck Ayden!" Sarafina called out as we moved further and further. The others echoed her.

"Good luck?" I repeated to myself. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Taka said nothing. We just continued walking through the clouds. All the while, I noticed that every lion's eyes were following me. I started to feel even more anxious, like I was some sort of prisoner being taken to the gas chamber.

I looked around and noticed that Taka had stopped. I followed suit and stared up at what he was looking at.

Directly in front of us was a large and seemingly normal cluster of clouds.

"Taka, what-" I began, but he shushed me quickly. Then he began speaking in a clear and loud voice.

"Oh Great Kings of the Past, shining stars in the sky, and guides of the Kings that are and will be, I have brought into our midst, the one that will fulfill the prophecy of old."

Thoroughly confused, I stared at him, unsure if he was aware that he was talking to nobody. Then a great phenomenon occurred that diverted all of my attention.

The cluster of clouds began to move and form in a swirling motion, creating a pillar of clouds to height that I could not see. Then the pillar amazingly and instantaneously stretched and swirled around us until we were encircled in a wall of clouds. They began to solidify, forming the very same marble walls that lined the hallways that I had just wandered through. Windows formed in the walls, bathing the very center of the room, where Taka and I stood, in warm sunlight. At the very front of the room were five raised pedestals. The center pedestal was slightly larger than the two pairs that sat on either side of it. Behind each of the pedestals was an open doorway that led out to the outside.

At once, the four outer doorways, which were streaming in endless sunlight, were blocked with four distinct shadows, all of which was easily recognizable as a lion. Simultaneously, they all stepped forward through the doorways and onto their respected pedestals.

My eyes traveled down the Kings of the Past from the far left all the way down to the far right.

The King on the far left was about Simba's size. I gazed at him for some time, for he resembled a lion that I knew so well, but had not seen in a very long time. With a pelt that was a mix between gray and brown and a flowing, yet messy, black mane that covered his body, this king resembled what Nuka would have looked like if he had been born healthy. It was clear now where Nuka had got his distinct color from.

The King to the right of him was a lion of incredible size. His pelt was a shade darker than that of Taka's or Kamau's, and his mane was a flowing chocolate brown. His face was very rounded except for his eyes, which were pointed. Yet within their gaze was a kindness that was as clear as the sun that was shining down upon me.

Passing over the empty center pedestal, my eyes fell on the next King. This one had a more common color among the lions I had seen in my lifetime; golden brown. His mane was jet black and stuck up above his forehead before flowing down his body. His ruby eyes held a fierce familiarity that I knew in many of my closest Pride members; Simba, Sarabi, Kiara, Mufasa…

As his name crossed my mind, my eyes rested on the fourth and final King to have entered the hall.

My heart skipped a beat.

There he was. The great King Mufasa, himself, sat on the last pedestal, smiling down at me. Tears came to my eyes as I stared into those of my adoptive father's. He was exactly as I remembered him; Golden brown pelt with a wild russet mane with a stern, but kind face. His kind and deep set ruby eyes met my own and I was filled with a joy that I had not felt in years.

As I stared at Mufasa, he looked around at the three other Kings in the room and nodded at them. They returned the nod, and then they all, as one, took in a deep breath. Together, they released in one intense roar that echoed through the hall magnificently.

A shadow appeared in the center doorway and at once, the four Kings fell to the ground in a respectful bow. Taka did the same, and I quickly followed suit. I kept my eyes to the ground, fearful that if I did anything to upset this important lion, for I knew that he was the high King of all five of them, then it could mean bad news for me.

"Rise, Ayden Michael Sumter, present King of Pride Rock," came the voice of the lion I knew was the one who had just entered. It was calm, quiet, and kind and yet it held a fierceness that I knew meant that anybody who dared cross this lion would never do so again.

Slowly, I got to my feet, moving my eyes up to the face of the King of Kings.

His eyes were black, but they held no darkness. His face was stern, but it was nothing short of the kindest face I had seen. His pelt was golden brown and his mane was only one shade darker. It was the wildest mane I had ever seen, and yet it seemed to be flowing just as well as any other lion's.

I stared at him, mouth agape. The King smiled at me.

"Speak, one of prophecy."

I found my voice and managed to say, "Wh-who are you?"

The king shook his mane and said wisely, "I am known by many names and forms. Humans more commonly know me as the Lord, the Creator, the First and the Last, the All in all, and the Alpha and Omega. Lions know me in this form as Aiehu."

Tears sprang to my eyes as I came to terms of who I was speaking with. My knees gave out from under me and I fell, once again, into a bow. Words escaped me, and I had no clue what to do. I knelt there in a bow, in absolute awe of my current position.

"Rise Ayden," Aiehu said kindly. "We have much to attend to, and time is not on our side. This will go more quickly if you are standing," he added with a chuckle.

Shakily, I found my balance, and stood up again. Wiping the tears from my face, I looked into the eyes of Aiehu.

"I am sorry, Your Highness," I said shakily. "It's just such a great honor."

Aiehu smiled. "Welcome, Ayden Michael Sumter, to the Hall of the Kings of the Past. Taka," he said to the lion next to me who bowed respectfully, "you may leave us now."

Taka bowed again, smiled at me, turned and walked to the wall of clouds behind us, which parted to allow him to pass through, before solidifying again.

Aiehu continued. "You know who I am, but I doubt you know who the Kings who surround me are, save for one."

Mufasa smiled at me, and I returned it. I looked at the other three, trying to remember what Mufasa had taught me of them.

"Well, I do know Mufasa. I don't recognize any of the others, but I know _of _them." I replied, turning to address each King in line from left to right. "You are King Maphunde?"

"Indeed I am," replied the King who resembled Nuka. Even his voice sounded like Nuka's, only it was more mature.

"And you would be King Mohatu, right?" I asked.

"I am," he said in a voice that was even deeper than Mufasa's.

"Which leaves Ahadi, if I'm not mistaken." I finished.

"Which you are not," Ahadi said, smirking. His voice was different. It was lighter, almost like that of Simba.

I smiled at them all, immensely honored that I had the chance to meet not only the Kings of the Past, but Aiehu as well. And yet…

"This is an incredible honor, Your Majesties," I said as respectfully as possible. "But I can't help but wonder why I'm here. You see, I was led to this hall by a dog named Charlie, and he told me that I didn't pass through judgment because I was special."

"Indeed you are young one," Aiehu said. "Mufasa, since you are the boy's adoptive father, perhaps you should begin."

"Gladly," Mufasa replied. "However my Lord, if I may do something very quickly…"

"But of course, Mufasa," Aiehu responded with a smile.

Mufasa nodded to Aiehu. Then he quickly stepped down from his pedestal and crossed the room to me. Wrapping his paw around me, he pulled me into a tight hug.

"I've missed you my son." He whispered.

"And I you," I replied, holding tightly to him. For years I had only memories to remember Mufasa by, and now here he was in my arms. I didn't want this embrace to end.

But sadly, it did. Mufasa pulled away and smiled at me again, which I returned. Then he turned back and walked over to sit on his pedestal again.

"Now then," he began. "You have always been special Ayden. From the moment we first found you, you were special. You were always destined for greater things."

"What do you mean?" I asked

"When you first came to the Pride," Mohatu said, "you were able to communicate with the lions there. Did you ever wonder why?"

I opened my mouth, but no words could come out. I shook my head confusedly.

Truthfully, I _had _once wondered why I could understand the lions of the Pride, but I had just given up on trying to make any sense of it. I had just decided that since I could understand them, that was all that mattered.

"The ability to communicate with animals is a sign that a human is destined for greater things," Ahadi spoke up. "They will use their abilities to help others and make an impact on the world. You are not the first to have these abilities."

"But I couldn't understand animals before I came to the Pride. Why?" I asked.

Aiehu shook his mane. "I visited you in your sleep on the night after your parents died. The gift was needed from then on."

A small cluster of clouds rose at my feet and formed a spherical formation right in front of me. I stared bewilderedly at it as images began to form in them, exactly the way that Mufasa's had done when I had found Simba in my exile.

For a moment, they were unclear, but as I stared, I began to make out the shape of a human; a young girl, no older than 12. She had red hair that was put into pigtails, tons of freckles, braces on her teeth, and large round glasses. Surrounding her was a multitude of animals, exotic and domestic alike.

"You are looking at Eliza Thornberry, a human like yourself, who was imbued with the ability to speak to animals," Maphunde said quietly. "She has used her ability to save countless animals all over the world from dangerous and even deadly situations."

The image changed in a swirl of the clouds. They began to form again, showing two other humans, a boy and a girl this time. The boy looked no older than 10, with a dirty blonde haircut and a short nose. He wore a red shirt and a brown backpack. Jutting out from the top pocket of the backpack was a golden feather.

Next to him was a girl, no younger than 8 years old, with strawberry-blonde hair in pigtails and a cute little face. She wore a uniform-type of dress, like that found in an orphanage. She held a raggedy little teddy bear in her tiny hands.

"These two are Cody and Penny," Ahadi explained. "Two very special children who were helped by, and simultaneously, helped a secret society of mice called the Rescue Aid Society."

The clouds swirled for a third time, and formed the shape of another little girl. This one looked no older than 6. She had ebony hair held up in a pink ribbon, and pale white skin with rosy cheeks. Her clothes were ragged and ratty, as if she had lived on the streets. Standing next to her was a dog; a German Shepherd that looked an awful lot like…

"Charlie?" I said aloud.

"Pardon?" Mohatu and Maphunde said at the same time. Mufasa and Ahadi looked at me curiously, but Aiehu just smiled.

"That dog next to the girl...his name is Charlie. He's the one who took me to this hall," I explained. "He said 'That makes two of you in my lifetime'…Does that mean this girl can speak to animals too?"

"Indeed it does," Aiehu said, still smiling. "This is Anne Marie. It is thanks to her that Charlie was admitted back into Heaven. You see, in his previous life, Charlie was a dog who lived for the moment, and when his time came, he was not ready. So he did what is considered unforgivable. He left Heaven and returned to his life on Earth. Because of that, he was never allowed to come back. However, when he returned to Earth, he met Anne Marie, a little girl who had the ability to speak to animals. Charlie grew fond of her, and when her life was put in danger, he did something that he would have never done before meeting her. He gave up his own life to save hers. If Charlie had never met Anne Marie, he would not be here today. He would not be one of our most valuable angels, for you see, Charlie has done an immense amount of good ever since his return."

"Wow…" I said, staring at the little girl. It was amazing how something so seemingly small and insignificant could have the greatest impact on the lives of others. The clouds shifted and lowered back down into the ground.

I looked up at Aiehu, staring into his black eyes. "So I'm just like these kids who can talk to animals?"

"Yes you are," he replied. "With several slight differences."

Confused, I asked, "What do you mean?"

Mufasa spoke up. "Well, for one, while you have made a great impact on the Pride now, the greatest difference has yet to come."

"And," Ahadi interjected, "you have a choice."

Thoroughly confused, I turned my head and asked, "A choice? What choice?"

Aiehu laughed. "My child, your choice is whether or not you wish to stay here or return to your life with the Pride. The prophecy speaks of this."

The clouds at my feet rose again, this time in little tufts. Slowly, the tufts began to form words in midair.

A Child of Man meets Child of Beast

And together they rule the Pride of old

From all corners, south, north, west, east

And they share a bond worth more than silver or gold

The untimely death of the child of Man

Will bring sadness, sorrow, and pain

Yet a choice he shall have, for he is one that can

To stay here forever or return once again

The Pride will stay safe if he chooses to go

And the prophecy will be fulfilled

But if he wishes to stay and his answer is no

Then Pride Rock will forever be killed

The words evaporated into the air, leaving nothing in their wake. I stared at the place where they were, my mouth hanging open.

Absolute shock washed through me. I was totally floored at what I had just read…at what Aiehu had told me. Clearly, it was showing in my face, for all five kings chuckled at my expression.

"I…I can…go back?" I repeated slowly.

"If you choose to," Aiehu replied.

I sighed, staring down, my eyes wide. I was able to choose if I could stay here in Heaven or go back to live with Simba and the Pride! This was incredible….and difficult.

"Unfortunately, I must ask for you decision soon Ayden," Aiehu said abruptly. "For you see, time is of the essence here."

I stared up at him, uncertain of what I was going to say. My mind raced at what would happen at both scenarios; if I stayed or if I left.

For a moment, I stood and thought, utterly perplexed at which was the better choice. I knew what I _wanted_ to do…or did I?

Heaven! This was Heaven! And I had a free pass! I had already been able to pass through without judgment, and I was in! I would be able to see all my family and friends, and I would be happy for all eternity!

And yet…

I loved my life with the Pride. Though it was more dangerous than life with humans, it was simpler and less complicated. And they were just as much my family as my parents and brother were. Would I stay here and leave them in their time of great need? Zira would be able to take the Pride over and send the Pride Lands into the ruined wastelands that it was before, if not worse!

"'If he wishes to stay and his answer is no, then the Pride will forever be killed'" I repeated aloud. "What does that mean?"

"The prophecy is about you, and so it means what you believe it means." Aiehu said wisely, which only sent me into a further state of confusion.

_It means what I believe it means? Well I believe that by "Pride Rock" it means the Pride. I can't let them die!_

Finally, the answer came to me. I knew what was more important. I knew what the right decision was.

"I've made my choice," I said aloud. Aiehu smiled and nodded for me to continue. The other four Kings stared at me, listening intently.

"I've decided to return. I am still needed with the Pride, and I will not abandon them in their time of need."

Aiehu's smile grew, as did those of the four Kings.

"But, if I may…" I said quickly, and the King's faces faltered for a moment.

"Can I see my family one last time before I go?"

Aiehu's stared into mine, and I briefly thought that I had asked too much. Then his eyes shimmered and his face broke into an immense grin.

He arched his neck and roared, a deafening and majestic sound. The wall of clouds behind me parted. I turned and watched intently, waiting for the three people I wanted to see the most.

Three dark silhouettes blocked the sunlight that shone through the opening. Together, they walked forward, the veil of shadow falling from their fronts, revealing their faces.

I felt my heart swell in my chest and tears sprang to my eyes. My mother, father, and younger brother Spencer were all walking towards me. Dad looked as great as ever. Tall, with auburn hair, just like mine, shimmering blue eyes, a pointed nose, and wearing a turquoise robe, he looked no different than the last time I had seen him.

Mom, slightly shorter than Dad, walked with a spring in her step, yet she was graceful as ever. Long black hair flowed down her cheeks past her shoulders, and her bright amber eyes, just like mine, rested in her beautiful face. She was wearing a flowing burgundy robe that waved gracefully with each step she took.

Spencer, only 12-years-old, had neck length black hair, and Dad's blue eyes. His face was so innocent and full of wonder, as a child's face should be. He wore robes of pale orange.

I stared at them for a moment, taking in the sight before me, holding myself back. But that control barely lasted, and as they got within five feet of me, I ran towards them and wrapped my arms around all three of them, tears spilling from my eyes.

Words alone are vain and vacant, and they could not express the happiness that now swelled within me. Holding the three of them in my arms after all these years was, without a doubt, the greatest thing ever. Silent sobs were all that could pass my lips.

"It's ok, sweetheart. It's alright," Mom whispered to me.

"It's good to see you, son," Dad said quietly.

"Quit cryin' Ayden! It's embarrassing," Spencer said teasingly.

I laughed through my tears, and pulled away from them to look at them each.

"I've missed you guys so much," I said, wiping my face with my sleeve.

"We've missed you too," Mom said with a smile. "We've been watching over you this whole time."

"I know. I've seen it in my lion family," I replied. "I can see it in their eyes."

All three of them smiled, and I couldn't help but smile back. I was with my family. I was the happiest I'd ever been.

"We're very proud of you, Ayden," Dad said. "You've been given so much responsibility that you shouldn't have to deal with, but you face it all standing tall and fearlessly. We're incredibly proud."

I grinned as another tear fell from my eyes. Pride swelled in my chest at those words. I had made my parents proud. That was a greater feeling than even the happiness that I felt now.

Aiehu's voice spoke from behind me. "Are you ready my child?"

I sighed, my smile faltering slightly. I turned around and looked back at him.

"Yes. I'm ready," I replied.

"Then come forward to the center of the room."

I turned back to my family and looked at them. Then I leaned forward to hug them one last time, wishing the hug would never end.

"I love you all."

"We love you too," they all said together.

The embrace broke and I stared at them one last time. Then, wiping a tear, I turned back around. Staring up at the Kings, I walked slowly back to the center of the room. I took a deep breath when I got to the center, and looked up at them.

Mufasa was smiling down on me more than any of the other Kings. Aiehu was looking at me with the greatest of intent. He spoke one last time.

"Good luck Ayden, child of Man. I have faith that you will succeed."

Then he arched his neck, inhaling deeply. In an instant, he released an intense roar that was even louder than the one he had released earlier. In fact, it was the loudest thing that I had ever experienced. The roar echoed in my ears to a point where I could no longer hear anything else. My own thoughts were blocked out by the immense noise.

I felt like I was being pushed backwards. All around me, everything within my sight began to dissolve into a bright white light. All the while, I still felt like I was being pushed backwards. Then, when everything was gone from my sight except for pure white, everything went black.

I opened my eyes, and I found myself lying on my side in the gulch.

I was alive, and back in the Pride Lands.


	14. A Lion of a Man

**Ok readers...**

**I'm REALLY sorry it took me this long to upload the chapter! I had a lot going on at home, work, and school that prevented me from not only writing, but updating the story as well. However, i should be back in at least _partial_ swing for now. I'm working on chapter 15 now, and i hope to have it done within the next few days.**

**This chapter is relatively short, but i think it will more than satisfy your craving for the story. Just to note, this chapter is the reason for the title of the story.**

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**Chapter 14 – A Lion of a Man**

**----Simba----**

The moon had already risen into the sky as we made our way to the gorge, and I hoped that Zira's eagerness would be subdued in time for us to make it to Mother's aid. The gorge was in sight, and I picked up speed, despite the fact that I was already running so fast that my legs were becoming pained. I caught up to the Pride quickly, and soon was at the head of the group. As one, our Pride entered the gorge and made our way down to where my father's body had fallen.

At full speed, I burst around the corner through the air, and with a roar, I landed in the midst of the Outlanders, who all stood around my father's resting place. My eyes were darting left and right, searching for Zira.

She stood in the center of the gorge, surrounded by the Outlanders. Standing next to Zira was Vitani, who towered over Mother, her paw put to her throat and claws extended. At my entrance, they all looked up, slightly startled by my roar. Zira's face broke into a grin and her eyes contracted.

"Well, look who's arrived!" She cried with mock enthusiasm. "King Simba, and his band of loyal followers! How good of you to come, and what luck! Just before the deadline should come to pass!"

I growled at her, which only made her smile grow. She lowered her voice, though she still spoke with the same enthusiasm.

"Did you enjoy the gift I left behind? I certainly did…"

The entire Pride roared and growled behind me, but I roared even louder to subdue them. If we fought now, then Mother wouldn't have a chance.

"You're an evil monster, Zira," I growled low in my throat.

"Tut tut Simba. Name-calling? That simply won't do," Zira scolded. "What would your mother say?"

I growled again, but said nothing. I could not afford to risk making Zira angry now. My eyes constantly darted to my mother, who lay helplessly underneath Vitani's weight.

I sighed. "What do you want Zira?"

She laughed maniacally. "Are you a fool? You know exactly what I want! I want you to relinquish the throne to me!"

I growled, but said nothing.

Zira chuckled. "Must we go through this again?"

She looked over at Vitani and nodded. Vitani pressed even harder on Mother's throat, and she began to gag.

"NO!" I cried, and Vitani released her grip, though her paw still remained on Mother's throat. Zira chuckled.

"We have much to discuss," she growled.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**----Ayden----**

I was absolutely amazed. I had been to Heaven and back! And even better, my body was no longer mangled or mauled! There was no pain! It was like I was still in Heaven; perfect, as if I had never been touched before!

I was running as fast as I could, and I could not help but marvel at my new self. My speed was so much greater than it was before I had died. My strength was more than double! I was a totally new person! No doubt that Aiehu had played a paw in this, and I was infinitely grateful for it.

I picked up speed and ran as fast as I could towards the Gorge as the moon reached the highest point in the sky, bathing the Pride Lands in a shimmering glow. A newfound hope was growing inside of me. I _knew_ that we would be able to win against Zira. I just _knew _it!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**----Simba----**

Mother struggled underneath Vitani's weight, but Vitani only pushed her paw harder into her throat. Every instinct in my body told me to go and help her, but I was not going to risk her life because instinct told me to. For the longest time, my instincts had told me to kill Ayden, and I knew that was absolutely out of the question. Once again, my instincts were wrong.

Mother struggled even harder, and managed to yell out, "Simba, don't you dare relinquish the throne! If all you have to lose is me, then refuse to submit!"

"SILENCE FILTH!" Zira screamed, and she struck Mother across the face.

That was it! I roared and pounced forward, aiming to kill Zira. However, several lionesses moved in front of me, and stopped me in my tracks. Zira quickly swooped down over Mother and grabbed her by the neck in her jaws.

"If you lay so much as a _claw _on me," she hissed. "I'll break her worthless neck."

My breathing grew faster and faster and my heart pounded a hole through my ribcage. I knew we only had seconds left before Mother's fate would be decided…

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**----Ayden----**

I darted into the Gorge, but stayed in the shadows. I knew that Sarabi would be held hostage, and would probably be in a position where she could be disposed of easily if something went wrong. I needed to stay hidden and quiet.

I kept close to the wall of the gorge, doing my best to stay stealthy, and surprisingly, I was succeeding at doing so. Apparently, Aiehu had enhanced my abilities beyond anything I could possibly imagine. My footsteps were silent, despite the fact that I was keeping a steady pace.

And then, as I rounded a corner, they came into view. Both Prides, Simba's and Zira's, surrounded Mufasa's resting place. Zira stood tall, holding a subdued Sarabi in her jaws by the neck, growling at Simba.

"What's your choice Simba?" Zira asked. "Time is wearing thin."

I snuck closer, keeping as close to the shadows as I possibly could. I knew exactly what I needed to do to save Sarabi. All it would take was a small distraction.

I crouched low, waiting for the opportune moment. No longer did I need my knife. Should the situation turn ugly, I was confident that my new abilities would more than suffice against a lioness. I could hold my own just fine now.

I looked over at Simba, who stood erect, but with a mixed look on his face. His eyes darted around, looking for some sort of help. Then they fixated on me, and they shimmered. As minutely as possible, he nodded, and I smiled.

Keeping low in the shadows still, I inhaled deep, and roared; exactly the same kind of roar that I had given on the night Simba and I had ascended the throne. It was a true roar.

Zira, who had not been expecting it, jumped and released her grip on Sarabi's neck. Sarabi, acting quickly, got to her feet and sprinted over to the Pride. As soon as she was within their midst, they all started growling and roaring at the Outlanders. Simba, however, roared for them to stay put.

Zira growled furiously, and turned her head from both Prides, clearly unsure of what she wanted to take action on; her enemies or the her own which she believed to have ruined everything. She settled on her own.

"WHICH OF YOU ROARED?!? WHICH OF YOU INTERRUPTED THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENT OF OUR LIVES?!? NOW THE PLAN IS RUINED!!!"

"That would be me," I said quietly from the shadows.

Every head turned towards where my voice came from. I smiled smugly, stood up and slowly walked from the shadows, and out into the moonlight.

A chorus of gasps echoed around the gorge as both Prides saw me, for they did not stare at a human. They stared at a lion, for indeed that was what I now had become. Aiehu had transformed me into a full-grown lion.

Though it was nighttime, the moon shone very brightly so that I was clearly visible. Of course, I probably would not have needed the moonlight to be visible, due to the color of my pelt, which was not golden, tan, or even brown. It was a pelt of the purest snowy white.

"You roared? You distracted me?" Zira said, utterly confused. "Forgive me for asking, but before I kill you, I'd like to know _who_ you are."

"Oh, come now Zira," I said matter-of-factly. "Don't you recognize me? After all, you said yourself 'long live the King', and here I live."

The look on Zira's face was absolutely priceless, as was the look on every lion's face in that Gorge. Some had recognized my voice, others had recognized my little hint to Zira.

Zira's stance faltered and she did not regain it. Her eyes contracted, but there was clear fear within them.

"It cannot be…" she whispered.

"It can, and it is so," I said, no longer smiling. "I am alive Zira, despite your best efforts."

"This is impossible," she said as she slowly started backing up. "You're not real. You're just a ghost…a spirit!"

I began advancing towards her. With each step I took, the Outlanders backed away as well. This was such an amazing feeling. I had caught them all by such surprise that they all feared me! For the moment, the Pride was safe. So far, the prophecy was coming true!

"A spirit huh?" I repeated back to Zira. "Would a spirit be able to do this?"

I inhaled and roared majestically in her face. She winced and kept her eyes closed.

When I caught my breath, I spoke again. "Is it so impossible now Zira?"

"Ayden…"

Sarabi's voice echoed in my mind, and I briefly lost focus on Zira. I looked over at Sarabi and smiled, my eyes meeting her own. She stared for a moment, and then tears filled her own.

"It is you…I can see it in your eyes." She sighed. "Oh thank Aiehu…"

I smiled at her again, and then turned back to Zira, who cowered like a cub. I began to speak to her again, speaking in a loud clear voice so that everybody would hear.

"You know Zira, it is actually because of you that your little plan failed," I said smiling smugly. "You see, if you had not killed me, I would have never been given the chance to come back. And when I did come back, Simba was right there waiting for me. Together we came up with this simple plan to ambush your ambush."

Every single eye went from me to Simba, who smiled and shrugged. "It was a sorta accident that I was even there, but it worked nonetheless."

Nala stared bewilderedly at Simba. "What do you mean? You were running with us the whole time!"

"Not the _whole_ time…" I said to her.

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**Ooooh! What now? lol...**

**Well there you have it...he's a lion now! lol. I made him a white lion for a couple reasons, but mainly because if i made him the same colors as he was as a human, he'd look exactly like Simba, and i didn't want that. Plus, a white lion looks FREAKIN SICK! lol...**

**Cougar2k2, robotminione, Nick, and Josh, you all guessed right! lol...but now to see what happens next. And i can guarantee, the sadness is NOT over yet. Theres still more tears and pain to come...**


	15. A Silver Lining in an Everlasting Storm

**I will no longer be presenting my author's notes in this format anymore. Like all things technological, I am upgrading to something far better and on a more personal level! Simply take out the spaces in the URL after the word "youtube" and voila, you will have a working link! Enjoy!**

**Homepage**

youtube .com/user/AydenMichaelSumpter

**Author's Note**

youtube .com/watch?v=Wj9c0sGrLpo&feature=channel_page

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Chapter 15 – A Silver Lining in an Everlasting Storm**

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**----Simba----**

I watched as my Pride turned and ran out of the gulch. I waited for them to round the corner before turning back one last time to look at Ayden's mangled body. I closed my eyes as they rested on his almost unrecognizable face, and an unmistakable sense of hatred and vengeance was present inside of me.

"I will avenge you, brother."

Slowly, I turned back to catch up with the Pride, my mind running through every possible scenario of what was to come. We needed to save Mother, but knowing Zira, she would probably be held captive in a position where she could be disposed of easily should we make any wrong moves.

Quite suddenly, my troubled thoughts were interrupted as the entire gulch was filled with a blinding white light. I yelled out, shielding my eyes, and turned to see where the light was coming from. Squinting, I tried to make out shapes through the blinding glow.

Slowly, my eyes started to get used to the light and I could start to see some things, though I still needed to squint. I was able to make out the distinct shape of some boulders. And then I saw where the source of the light was coming from.

Ayden's body was floating in midair, and he was the source of the glowing. My mouth fell open as I stared at this bizarre sight. He was upright, as if he was standing, but his limbs and head were dangling limp. Every single orifice was sending out a constant stream of pure white light.

As my eyes continued to get used to the blinding light, I started to notice something strange about him. Slowly, his body was changing.

I watched as he grew taller right before me. His hair began to fade from auburn to a pure white, and it began growing. In fact, white fur sprouted out from all over his body. His limbs thickened with muscle and began to transform. His arms grew longer, and his hands began to change drastically. His fingers shrank and became stubbier, while growing wider at the same time. His legs extended even further out, and his feet elongated. A tail began to grow out from his lower back. His face began to elongate out and his nose retracted back and grew wider. Whiskers sprouted from either side of it.

The human I knew was no longer human. He was now a lion.

_This isn't happening. This is just a mirage. Its just your mind playing tricks on you!_

The light began to fade and Ayden-**NO**, the mirage-was slowly lowered to the ground.

And then all was still. Nothing moved. Not even a breeze stirred any dust within the gulch.

I stared absolutely amazed and bewildered at this lion now laying before me, his body cast in a shadow from a nearby boulder.

And then he stirred.

I held my breath, hesitant of what to do next. Was I sure that this was Ayden or was it just some mirage? Slowly, I backed up out of sight, but still in range to see the lion.

The lion lifted his head, blinking wearily. He looked around, uncertain of what was going on.

"I…I'm back," he said softly.

Slowly, he started to get to his feet, and the boulder's shadow fell off of him. My mouth fell open.

The lion's fur was stunningly and flawlessly white, like nothing I had ever seen in my life. It was magnificently marvelous and beautiful. His mane flowed down his body to his upper stomach, which meant he was no less than 5-years-old.

_But Ayden was over 20-years-old! _ I thought to myself. _This _can't _be him!_

Then lion did something that was humorous and confusing at the same time. He attempted to stand on his hind legs to walk upright, but lost his balance and fell down.

"What's wrong with me?" he said to himself. "I feel different…"

I finally found my voice.

"Ayden?" I said cautiously, walking out slowly from my hiding spot.

He looked at me from the ground.

"Simba…what's wrong with me? I can't stand up!" He said urgently.

"Ayden!" I yelled joyfully. "You're alive!"

I rushed forward and nuzzled him, thanking Aiehu that this miracle had happened.

"Yes Simba, I'm alive! But what good is it gonna do if I can't even walk?" he said sternly.

"Have you looked at yourself?" I asked, unable to contain my joy that my best friend was _not_ dead, but in fact alive. And what more, he was a lion, like me! He was really a part of the Pride now!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**----Ayden----**

"Looked at myself?" I repeated.

My entire body felt completely different. Not a weird kind of different, but it was definitely changed. I felt…stronger…more powerful, as if I was far more muscular than I ever was. I pushed myself up so that I was off my stomach on all fours…and it felt…_right_. It was far more comfortable than standing upright. Then I noticed that despite the fact that I was level with the ground, I was standing on my hind feet rather than my knees. There was a strange feeling at my hindquarters…as if something was protruding from it.

_This is _so_ weird!_

I looked down, utterly confused, and I felt my mouth fall open.

My entire body was engulfed in snow white fur. My hands were no longer hands, but massive and powerful paws. The shock of seeing this made my entire body tense, and my paws extended ten incredibly sharp claws. Only further sending me into shock, my breathing grew faster and I quickly backed up and tripped over my hind legs, falling flat on my back.

"Ayden? Are you alright?" Simba asked, chuckling.

"I'll tell you in a sec'!" I replied quickly, rolling over back onto my stomach.

"Okay," I said to myself, trying to calm down. My breathing slowed to a normal pace. "Pull yourself together man."

"Lion," Simba corrected, smirking.

I rolled my eyes, and something caught them as I did. A bird was sitting on the edge of the gulch. My eyes contracted as I realized that the bird was over 200-feet away, far beyond the vision that I would have had as a human.

Something shuffled behind me, and my ear turned to the sound.

_Wait…_

My ear _turned_? This was incredibly weird and cool at the same time!

The sound was merely a few pebbles falling down the gulch, though they must have been a great distance away.

"This is unreal…" Simba said, joy still emanating from his voice.

"Tell me about it." I said sarcastically. I raised my paws and stared in awe at the almost blindingly dazzling white fur that covered my entire body. Never before had I seen a pelt of this color. It was absolutely stunning!

"Well..." I said to myself. "I guess this explains the white robes."

"What's that?" Simba said confused.

"Nothing", I replied. Slowly, I got to my feet – _paws _and stood upright.

"Just take one step at a time…" I said to myself. "There's no need to rush."

"Well, actually," Simba interjected, and my ears perked – they _actually perked_.

"Mother is still Zira's hostage," he said, his voice darkening.

And suddenly, nothing else mattered. Whatever changes my body had gone through were insignificant compared to the issue at hand. A deep hatred for Zira built back up inside of me, and a low growl issued from deep within my throat. While it was cool, I was now too focused to care. Sarabi was in danger, and we needed to get to her ASAP.

"So what are we gonna do?" Simba asked. "The Pride is already on its way to the Gorge. I need to catch up with them, but you being alive again…"

"It complicates things." I finished for him. "Everybody thinks I'm dead. And maybe…" The cogs in my mind began to work faster, a plan beginning to form.

"Maybe?" Simba asked, turning his head to one side.

"Maybe we could use that to our advantage." I said, grinning.

Simba looked curious. "How so?"

"Well," I began, "If everybody thinks I'm dead, it would be quite a shock to see me alive again. In fact, have any of you seen a lion like me before?"

"Never." Simba replied. "I've never seen a lion with white fur."

"Well then it would be twice the shock. Perhaps enough to keep Zira shocked enough for Sarabi to escape?"

A smile curled Simba's muzzle.

"It's our only shot," he said. "I'll go ahead, and you follow behind just a few minutes after. Keep to the shadows until I give you a signal."

"And that would be…" I said, trailing off.

"Not sure yet," he responded. "When I see you, you'll know."

"Okay then," I said. "Let's pray that this works."

Simba rushed forward and embraced me briefly.

"Its good to have you back, brother."

There was new meaning in his word. I had always been his brother, but only now, when I was truly connected to him and his bloodline, was I _really_ his brother.

"It's good to be back." I said happily.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0  
**

Zira, as well as every lion in the Gorge stared at Simba and I, mouths agape.

"This is impossible." Zira managed to say. "NO! I don't believe it! This is obviously some trick!"

"My time on this earth was not over," I said, advancing towards her. "Aiehu sent me back to fulfill a prophecy that was made about the Pride and myself. As long as I remain here, our Pride will remain safe and in power, and no force on Earth can stop it."

Zira stood up out of her cowardly crouch. Her eyes were no longer fearful, but instead angry and full of the hatred that was so commonly within them.

"Well I'll see to it otherwise," she whispered sinisterly. "I killed you once, I can do it again."

"Zira," I said incredulously. "Do you honestly believe that _you_, a single insignificant lioness, can combat and win against the will of Aiehu? He is the reason that I am here now. He is the reason that I am no longer a human, but a lion like yourself."

"I don't know how you came to be this way," Zira hissed, "But there is no Aiehu. There is no afterlife, and there is no prophecy. You are just using some sort of voodoo magic to trick me! Probably from that manic ape Rafiki! My will is stronger than everybody's will here combined, and I will see to it that I kill you _yet again! __**ATTACK!!!**_"

And suddenly, a sea of lionesses from both sides swarmed at each other like a raging tide, biting, gripping, and clawing at one another savagely. Something inside of me suddenly raged forth; something like adrenaline…but it was _more.._._much_ more. And suddenly, I realized that it was instinct, and my mind had no part or control of it. Pure, unadulterated instinct was taking over, and suddenly I found my legs rushing myself forward into the fray.

As hard as I could, I forced the uncontrollable instinct back and took control, though I still rushed forward into the raging lionesses. I needed to be in control of my actions. Extending my claws, and baring my teeth, I roared as I collided with an Outsider. We tumbled on the ground briefly, but I quickly righted myself and crouched low. In an instant, my back legs sprang myself forward into a pounce, and my claws found the Outsider's left side.

It was an incredible mix of feelings all at once; wonder, amazement, power, strength, fear, and yet it all drove me forward to fight. It was like nothing I had ever felt, or even imagined feeling, before. Instinct began to take over again, and I felt myself dragging the lioness helplessly out of the battle, into the open. I raised one paw, clinging to the Outsider with the other, and brought it swinging around, claws extended, into the Outlander's face. The lioness roared and fell to the ground, whimpering. I finally got control back from my instincts, and I released her. Viciously, I turned to run back to the fight.

A pack of Outsiders was swarmed around me. I grinned and lowered myself, baring my teeth. In an instant, they were all pouncing on top of me. I managed to swipe one away, but the rest piled on quickly, digging in their claws and teeth. I felt warm blood start to trickle onto my coat. Suddenly, through the noise and battle, a roar echoed off the walls of the gorge. Intense tremors shook the mountain of lionesses that engulfed me, and one of them was violently pulled away so that I could see my savior.

Simba was valiantly digging his claws into each and every lioness, ripping them from me, roaring his rage all the while.

Within seconds, Simba had swiped all the lionesses off of me. They either lay on the ground dead, unconscious, or they ran away.

"Are you alright?" Simba asked frantically.

Groaning, I stood up, glancing at myself. My white fur was already stained in many places with blood. Yet my strength and will were not diminished.

"I'm fine," I replied quickly. "Let's get back to the fight!"

Simba nodded, and together, we sprinted back into the fray of lions.

The fighting lasted for what seemed like forever. The sea of lionesses that threw themselves at me from all directions never ended. With the help of my Pride on occasion, we managed to keep ourselves safe. We were keeping them at bay, though it seemed that nobody was advancing in the fight.

_How are we going to win this if we don't gain the upper hand?_

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling roar echoed through the gorge that sent shivers down my spine. Though his older voice was unfamiliar to me, Nuka's screams of pain were unmistakable.

I whirled around and stared in horror as I watched Kamau repeatedly bring his paw down on a grounded Nuka, who was covered with blood, bruises, and wounds. All the while, as Kamau mercilessly beat him, literally, to death, Nuka screamed unceasingly.

I began to run through the crowd, desperately calling out for Kamau to stop, but Sarabi beat me to him. She grabbed his paw in her jaws and pushed him back. Kamau stopped and stared at Sarabi, a look in his eyes that reflected Scar's; hatred, determination, and rage. But at the sight of Sarabi's piercing orbs, his own lightened back into his own kind, caring, understanding ones.

All the while, the fighting raged on behind us. Nobody seemed to notice that Nuka had fallen or that Kamau had totally lost control of himself.

Sarabi turned away from Kamau to look down on Nuka. His breathing was laborious and strained. Blood pooled around him as he wheezed and groaned in pain. Gently, Sarabi placed her paw on Nuka's head to help him support it. Nuka found strength to speak as he stared back at Sarabi, the kinder side of him reflected in his pained eyes.

"What kind of…f-fool am I to…to…attack m-my m-mother?" he stuttered.

His eyes became unfocused, and they closed. Nuka's head fell to the side, and he moved no more.


	16. The Line Between Good and Evil

**Rather longish author's note with some humor, _PLEASE WATCH IT! IT IS IMPORTANT!!!!!_**

**...remember, take out the space after "youtube" and before ".com" and you'll have a working link. As an added bonus, i've made a video for fanart that applies to the stories. Enjoy!**

_**Author's Note Chapter 16**_

youtube .com/watch?v=Sa6kHTpojpY&feature=channel_page

_**Fan Art for "Pride Trilogy"**_

youtube .com/watch?v=tpN8HPeowg4&feature=channel_page_**  
**_

* * *

**Chapter 16 – The Line Between Good and Evil**

_No…_ I thought. _No…he's not dead…not Nuka!_

Nuka's face was almost unrecognizable because of the damage. His eyes were both swollen shut. Despite the damage, he looked almost like he was sleeping. But he was dead.

I flashed back to the dark days when Scar was the tyrannical ruler of the Pride Lands; to the days when I had known Nuka. Back then, he was just a scrawny cub who could fit in my arms. He was always so curious, yet so timid. But he always had tried to prove his bravery and abilities to his parents, even though they hadn't paid him any attention or showed him an ounce of love. Sarabi and I had always cared for him and tried to show him as much love as possible. He had a good heart. And now, he was gone.

If what I felt was bad, then Kamau must have been feeling a hundred times worse. His eyes were wide with shock and his jaw trembled. He lifted his blood-stained paw and stared at it disbelievingly, slowly shaking his head.

"My God…" he whispered in a horrified tone. "My God, what have I done?"

Every eye was on him as he muttered in disbelief. He stared up into the starlit sky, and almost inaudibly, whispered.

"I've become my father…"

Suddenly, he fell to the ground, burying his face in his paws.

"Please forgive me Mother!" he wailed through sobs. "I was blinded! I killed him! I'm so sorry!"

I took a step towards Kamau, but before I could get any closer, a bloodcurdling roar echoed through the Gorge, ceasing all fighting. Zira's evil eyes were fixated on her fallen son.

"MY SON!" She cried. "NUKA!"

She roared viciously and rushed through the crowd of lionesses, knocking any and everybody aside as she made her way to her fallen son.

She finally broke through and reached Kamau, Sarabi, and Nuka. Roaring again, she savagely swiped at Kamau, knocking him aside. He rolled on the ground for a few yards before grinding to a halt. Growling at Zira, Sarabi and I both rushed to Kamau's side. Zira paid us no attention, but instead she focused solely on Nuka, whose head she held limply in her paw.

"Kamau…" I said worriedly. "Are you alright?"

He weakly lifted his head and stared at me, blinking excessively, attempting to open his left eye, but to no avail.

I gasped.

On his left eye was a fresh scar oozing blood, exactly like that of his father's. Zira had, once again, scarred another individual. Though my scar was now gone, the memories of it would always remain; a scar itself.

Sarabi gasped as well when she got a glimpse of her son's face.

"Oh, Kamau…"

Zira's sickening coos over her son were growing more prominent. As she spoke kindly of the son that she never loved, it sent my mind into wave after wave of rages. Sarabi, however, spoke first before I could get the chance.

"**HOW DARE YOU SPEAK SO KINDLY OF HIM?**" she roared angrily. "How dare you speak such love of him as he lies there in _death? _All the times in his youth when you pushed him out of the cave, and let his father _strike _him for being weak! You call yourself his _mother. _You were no more of a mother to him than Scar was his father! Nor were you such to Kovu and Vitani."

Zira looked up and a fiery glaze had replaced her sorrowful stare. Her eyes burned red with hatred as she stared at Sarabi.

"_Do not _speak to me of _my son _as I mourn him," she said coldly, with a demonic tone that, even in my anger, sent chills down my spine.

She glanced back down at Nuka, then back up at everybody in the Gorge.

"Who killed him?" She whispered, a growl behind her voice. "Who killed my son?"

Nobody said a word. Nobody moved.

"I ASKED WHO KILLED HIM!" She roared.

Slowly, Kamau got to his feet, still blinking as the blood oozed from his scar. Standing tall, and facing her, he boldly, but quietly responded, "I did."

Zira stared at Kamau incredulously.

"You?" She repeated, dumbfounded. "_You_ killed him? Your own brother?"

Silently, but firmly, Kamau nodded. "Yes. I will not deny what I've done."

"Then you must pay for your deed," Zira said coldly. "You will pay for Nuka's blood."

Zira began to pace as if she was going to circle Kamau. As one, Simba, Kovu, and I all rushed forward, surrounding Kamau, baring our teeth at her. She stopped in her tracks.

"Move aside," she hissed. "He has murdered, and he must pay for his actions. Nuka's death must be avenged."

"And what of those whom you've so mercilessly killed?" I growled. "Must they not be avenged as well?"

The rage in Zira's eyes intensified, and she roared, "He has killed my son! He MUST PAY!"

"He was not your son," Sarabi said icily as she stared at Zira. "He was too good to be your son."

Zira's attention focused solely on Sarabi, her eyes seeming to glow with the hate that was so deeply rooted in them.

"Your son is no better," she hissed. "The circle is now complete. The father has become the son, and the son has become the father. Scar is within our midst."

"No!" Kamau said. "I am not my father!"

"But you are!" Zira roared at him. "You have killed mercilessly and in cold blood! You have the same blackness in your soul as Scar had! You ARE like Scar in EVERY way now! You look alike, you have both killed mercilessly, and now you both even bear the same exact scar!"

"You're WRONG!" Kamau screamed at her, his voice trembling, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. "He was a tyrant who felt no compassion for those he hurt nor guilt for his heartless deeds!"

"Kamau, no!" I cried. "Don't listen to her! She's just trying to bring you down!"

"Don't listen to her Kamau!" Simba echoed. "Don't listen to her!"

Zira laughed. "Compassion? _Guilt_?! What do those even matter? You have done the exact same that Scar did to Mufasa! You've killed your own brother!"

It was eerie and downright frightening to see Zira this happy over something so horrible, _especially_ since her son had just fallen.

"NOOOO!" Kamau roared, the tears falling from his eyes, as he fell to the ground. "I'M NOT LIKE HIM! I'M NOT LIKE HIM!"

Zira took her chance and pounced over us onto Kamau, claws unfurled.

"KAMAU!" I roared.

Kovu, Simba, and I acted quickly, pulling at Zira with all our strength to get her off. I was suddenly aware of Tanabi and Kiara around us, helping to pull Zira off of Kamau. Within seconds, the five of us had succeeded. Tanabi, Kovu, and Kiara were pinning a struggling Zira to the ground while I dragged Kamau away from the fray by the scruff of his neck. When we were far enough away from Zira that she wasn't within reach, I set him down. Kamau made no move to get up. He lay prostrate on the ground, sobbing into the dirt. Simba and Sarabi rushed to our sides. Sarabi put her paw around Kamau, laying her head on top of his.

"My son," she whispered, nuzzling him gently. "You are not your father. You are not like him. Your father was not always the lion that he had once been."

Zira continued to struggle, but she was held down good and tight.

"Don't you poison him, Sarabi!" she yelled angrily.

Sarabi didn't even glance at Zira. Her gaze was fixated on her son, who was the most miserable I had ever seen him.

Sarabi continued. "He was once a very noble and selfless lion who loved nothing more than to be in the company of those he held dear, and this included his brother. Your uncle loved him very much. It was your uncle's attaining of the kingship that sent Scar into his madness. The hate and envy consumed him, and he was transformed."

Kamau was silent.

"But perhaps Kamau, you do bear one of your father's traits."

Kamau looked up at her when she said this. His good eye was wide, like that of a cub's.

Sarabi smiled. "His nature. His nature before his madness. I see so much of it in you. It surrounds you like an aura."

I flashed back to my time in Heaven, when Taka had accompanied me to Astra de Leo. He was not the lion that I had known on Earth. Taka was indeed exactly as Sarabi had described; kindhearted, gentle, and compassionate, just like Kamau.

Zira roared. "HIS NATURE? That's what you call it Sarabi? You must be outside your mind if you think he bore nature such as _that_!"

She motioned her head towards Kamau, since she couldn't move much else due to being pinned down.

Then Sarabi did something that blew my mind.

She smiled.

In the midst of all of this death, depression, war, anger, bitterness, and tension, Sarabi _smiled_. And something in that smile seemed to send a wave of calm all through the Gorge. Slowly, she took a few steps towards Zira as she struggled against her captors.

"You really never knew Scar before his change, did you Zira?" she said softly.

"What?" Zira hissed.

Sarabi smirked. "You never thought anything of Scar when we were cubs," she said. "Whenever we ran out to play, you never followed. Whenever Scar tried to get you to play hide-and-go-seek or tag, you always called him a name or cuffed him to get rid of him. Now I'm beginning to understand your sudden affection towards him."

Zira glared. "What are you talking about?" she growled.

"When Scar began to go mad, you started hanging around him more and more. Soon the both of you became inseparable. I have since understood that he always loved you, but you never felt the same way." Sarabi stood tall and took a few steps towards the mad lioness. "That is, until he told you that you could be queen! You never loved him until he offered you power and fame! That's all you ever thought about! All you ever cared about was yourself!"

"LIAR!" Zira shrieked with rage. "I loved Scar! He was my mate, the father to my children, and my king! I would have done anything for him! I'm fighting in his name! To regain his legacy, to resume his line!"

"I do not believe that is the case," Sarabi countered smugly. "I think it's your selfish thinking at work again. Yes, in the end I believe you did love Scar. But this isn't about Scar anymore, Zira. It's about you. You want something back that was never yours to begin with."

Zira, apparently having had enough of this, growled, whirled her head around and roared, "Vitani! Get them!"

Vitani stood very still, looking completely unsure of herself. Her eyes darted from her mother, to Sarabi, Simba, Kamau, her brother, and finally, me. Our gazes fixated on each others for a long time. There was something in Vitani's eyes that I had, until now, never seen. A glimmer…a glimmer of hope.

"Vitani!" Zira shrieked, "Don't you go soft on me too! You know what Simba and Ayden did! They killed your parents _and _your foster father!"

"WHAT?" Simba, Sarabi, and I all shouted at once.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Sarabi roared furiously.

Zira's eyes widened momentarily as she realized her mistake.

"A very poor time to be feeding lies to them, Zira," I said with a growl.

Sarabi instantly set her gaze on the troubled Vitani. "Is this what she told you, Vitani? Did she tell you that Simba and Ayden killed them?"

Vitani's eyes darted towards me again, then to Simba. Then she nodded.

Sarabi shot a vicious glare at Zira, then looked back at Vitani with her gentle expression. "Vitani, Zira has filled your head with lies. Your parents were not killed by my sons. I was very good friends with your mother."

'I knew her as well," I chipped in. "She was one of the kindest lionesses I've ever known."

"Don't listen to them! They're out of their minds! They're as mad as your parents had been!" Zira roared in desperation.

I glanced at her, baring my teeth, but Sarabi paid her no mind.

"Your mother was a beautiful lioness named Kala, one of my best friends," Sarabi said, looking over at Kovu as well as Vitani. "She was a very strong, determined lioness. Indeed, she did have a cub before you, a son that was killed by your supposed 'foster father.' Your half brother was not even 2 weeks old when he was killed. But your mother remained strong. Over time, she met a passerby rogue, a strong, yet kind lion named Sekou, your father. Those times in the Pride Lands were bad, and your father offered to help us dethrone Scar. However, he was killed in his attempt and Kala fell into another depression."

Kovu and Vitani's mouths were open in utter shock as Sarabi recounted the tale of their true parents. I remained silent, despite the fact that I knew this all so well. Something kept me quiet. Something told me that Sarabi had earned the right to reveal the truth.

Zira attempted to scream, but she was quickly silenced by Tanabi and Kiara, who were pinning her down. Kiara pushed harder on Zira's back and Tanabi placed his paw over Zira's mouth to silence her.

Sarabi smiled. "But before his death, your father had come together with your mother, at which point you were conceived. When it came time, I helped your mother with the birth and kept you all safe. But you were discovered by Scar and Zira. They decided to punish your mother by stealing you away and making you the heirs of their kingdom."

"Though you can't see it anymore," I added, "Zira scarred my face that night as I attempted to stop her and Scar from taking you two."

Nodding, Sarabi growled deep in her throat. "They made it their foremost goal to teach you to hate your parents. But your mother wouldn't have it, and the two of us tried to save you both from them. But we failed, and your mother was killed. But she loved you, despite what Zira tells you. You were her world. And though your father never met you, he loved you with the same intensity. You must believe me! That is the truth!"

Kovu and Vitani still stared at Sarabi in disbelief and shock. And then, Kovu's face changed. A smile broke out across his muzzle, and tears slowly streamed from his eyes. He raised them to the heavens and closed them, all tension seeming to release from him. Relief was flowing off of him. Then, he turned to his sister.

"Vitani…" he whispered gently. "All our lives we've been wondering about our past. I know you've never truly believed Zira, despite how you've made it look. We have to believe Sarabi. Zira's mad and you know it."

Vitani looked away, shame etched deeply into her face. A few days ago, Kovu had recounted to Simba and I what had transpired during his life in the Outlands. Vitani had always sided with Zira, had always joined her in beating him in his moments of weakness, had always taunted him, and had always treated him cruelly. It was clear that now that she knew the truth, that she was following a tyrannical liar, that she was truly sorry for how she had treated her only living family member. She couldn't even look at him. She kept her head hung, avoiding his gaze.

Kovu smiled. Placing his paw under her chin, he raised her head so that she was looking at him.

"I love you, my sister. I always have, and nothing now, nor from our past, will change that. I will always have it in my heart to forgive you."

Vitani's eyes filled with tears, and a smile broke out across her face as well. She embraced her brother, and together, they wept joyously into each other. No more did they have to follow Zira and her tyrannical and cruel ways. No more did they have to feel the fear and hatred that she had so deeply imbued into them. They were free from her clutches.

Every one of the Pride Landers, myself included, were smiling. After all these years, the two who truly belonged in our Pride were finally back with us.

However, my smile faded when I noticed the looks on the Outlander's faces. Confusion, shock, anger, rage….I had almost forgotten that we were in the midst of a battle. I tensed up, awaiting for their attack.

But it never came. Instead, the Outlanders turned to one another, and began speaking, not bothering to keep their voices hushed.

"So," one outlander growled as she looked over at Zira. "This whole time, you were raising these two to redeem a lion that killed their parents?"

"It wasn't only Scar!" said another. "She killed them as well!"

"Think about it, sisters!" cried a third. "We haven't even taken into account that Scar murdered _his own brother _for the throne! What are we doing, fighting to redeem a murderous tyrant? Zira has lied to us about everything!"

Zira managed to free her mouth at last. In desperation, she cried "NO! They lie, my sisters! Don't listen to them! They are trying to poison you!"

"Like you?" growled Vitani, looking over from where she sat with Kovu.

Zira's head jerked to see Vitani glowering viciously at her. Zira's face fell, as she came to terms that she was alone. Absolutely and totally alone. No longer did she have supporters. No longer did she have children she could feed hateful lies to. She was completely on her own in this struggle. And though my smile on the outside was calm and content at her loss, inside I was laughing heartily at the situation; how the prophecy was indeed coming true, how we were winning, what awaited us once this age-long war was finally at an end, and how far the "mighty" had fallen.

I began to get ahead of myself however. One thought occurred to me that drove all of the rest away.

_What are we going to do about Zira?_

She deserved to die. I knew that without a doubt, Zira deserved to die. But as much pain as she had caused me, as much torture and suffering that had happened at her paw, as much as she had messed up the lives of her "family", I was unsure if any of us would have in us to do the deed. I even wondered if I could do so.

But then, Kovu growled and began to advance towards Zira, baring his teeth.

"All these years," he hissed as he continued forward. "These years that you've beaten me, lied to me, cursed me, and tried to kill me…"

"Get away from me!" she yelled.

"You _murderer,_" Kovu snarled as he continued forward. "I'll make you pay…!"

Kovu suddenly lunged forward and roared savagely. Tanabi went wide eyed as Kovu pounced towards them. He lunged in front of Kovu, holding him back.

Kovu roared and struggled against Tanabi, clawing past him as he tried to reach Zira. Zira had her chance now. In an instant, without the extra weight pinning her down, she leapt up and clawed Kiara out of her way. Then, teeth bared, claws unfurled, she started sprinting....

…straight for Sarabi.

"YOU'VE RUINED ME!" she screamed she lunged forward. But before she could reach her, Kamau and I jumped in and shoved her back. He growled and prepared to fight, as did I. Again, my instinct began to take over, my vision became blurred…and I only saw Zira. I shook my head, forcing back the instinct. Sarabi calmly stepped between us and looked at us both.

"Let her come to me," she said gently. "She has been waiting for this far too long. And so have I."

"But Mother…" Kamau said, taken aback.

"Mom…" I said quietly, shaking my head. For a moment, I flashed back to my final moments as a human, when Sarabi had confessed to me that she was older and weaker than I wanted to believe. She couldn't survive a fight with Zira…

Sarabi smiled at us both. ""Let a couple of old lionesses settle their score, my sons."

My gaze was fixated on her. I didn't want to move. Yet, somehow, I felt my legs moving, making me step backwards away from her. Kamau was also backing away. Together, we backed up until we were standing next to Simba, who was at a loss for words.

Sarabi stared at the three of us, smiling. Then she walked forward to each of us. One by one, she licked each of us and nuzzled us. Then, when she had finished, she turned to Zira.

"The time is now, Zira."

Zira grinned, then looked at everyone crowding the scene. She roared.

"EVERYBODY GET BACK!"

Quickly, we all receded backwards towards the walls of the Gorge, giving the two lionesses as much room as we could. My heart beat a hole in my chest. I was thoroughly worried at what I was about to witness, unsure of how it would turn out.

"Let's make something of this battle, Sarabi," Zira said with a grin. "Let's say… ownership perhaps?"

Sarabi glared. "No matter what this battle means to you, I will not sacrifice the Pride Lands."

"Perhaps you won't," Zira said smugly. "But with your death, I can make things happen. Once you're out of the way, there's no telling what I can do next! You best brace yourself Sarabi! Death is a tricky thing."

"I should say the same to you," Sarabi replied coldly.

And with that, the old enemies began to slowly encircle one another.


	17. From the Ashes

***Runs into room***

***Looks back and forth hurriedly*  
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** *Quickly turns on the computer***

***Hits the monitor repeatedly for not turning on fast enough***

***Spills coffee over keyboard***

***Curses about non-liquid tolerant technology***

***Attaches another keyboard***

** *Loads up Firefox***

***Realizes the flash drive is not plugged in yet***

***Plugs in flash drive, cursing all the while***

***Waits another 10 minutes for the slow computer to load up the flash drive*  
**

***Logs into FanFiction***

***Uploads new chapter***

**OMGOMGOMG...i am SOOOOOOOO sorry guys! its been WELL over a month since i updated, and i left you all with SUCH a big cliffhanger...I cannot begin to TELL you how sorry i am... things just sorta...took off. Lemme give you a quick breakdown...**

**1.) The end of the school semester approached, which meant FINALS. 'Nuff said. :)**

**2.) With the end of school means the beginning of summer hours at work...i FINALLY am getting 30 hours a week at work on average. YAY $$$!!! lol**

**3.) I decided to take a short break from writing. "A week won't matter" he foolishly said...I'll TRY not to make that same mistake again...**

**4.) I got a girlfriend...sorta a time consuming (but no less enjoyable ^_^) event.**

**So yeah...those are my excuses...good enough or not (i don't think they are. I have no excuse to leave you all hanging like that, ESPECIALLY on a cliffhanger.) thats them.**

**MY MY MY!!!! You all took my request in my last video to heart! I am absolutely stunned and 150% grateful for the reviews that i got! Thanks to you all SO much and i hope that these reviews will keep coming!  
**

**That being said, i wanna take a moment to say that the only reason i don't have a video update for this chapter is because its currently half past midnight and my brother is sleeping on the top bunk behind me...i don't wanna wake him up, but i don't want to keep you guys waiting anymore. So here it is! Enjoy!  
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**Chapter 17 – From the Ashes…**

Sarabi's and Zira's eyes focused solely on each other. Their movements were perfectly synced with each other's as they circled, like an elegant ballet.

My heart continued to thump its nonstop soldier's march in my chest. Time seemed to slow itself down. The circling seemed like it would never end. I began to wonder if they were even going to fight.

Sarabi then broke the synchronization as she looked up into the stars. Closing her eyes, a look of relaxation and peace overcame her.

And then Zira was on her.

Zira had launched herself across the gorge and with her claws, latched firmly into Sarabi's back. I jolted, fighting every urge and instinct to aid my mother. Gritting my teeth and digging my claws deep into the earth, I stayed my ground.

_This is her fight….this is __**her**__ fight…not mine…_

Sarabi roared and flung around wildly. Zira lost her grip and was thrown across the gorge. She hit the wall of the gorge with a _bang_ and fell to the ground. Zira got back to her feet quickly and lunged at Sarabi. This time, she was ready.

Sarabi rushed forward as well, and the two lionesses collided amidst roars and growls. The force at which they collided shoved them back from each other. Zira stayed stunned a few seconds longer than Sarabi, which gave Sarabi the chance she would need. She got back to her feet and rushed to Zira, unfurling her claws and baring her razor sharp teeth. Quickly, she struck Zira as she lay stunned on the ground. Over and over again, she raked her claws up and down Zira's entire body. Zira's roars of pain pierced the night like an icy dagger. She attempted to fight Sarabi off, but Sarabi brutally pressed forward, slashing at Zira over and over, keeping her on the ground.

An intense satisfaction expanded inside of me as I watched Sarabi viciously attacking Zira. For a fraction of a second, the scene before me changed. Sarabi became Zira, and the struggling Zira on the ground…became my human self.

In a desperate effort to save her life, Zira roared and flung herself up from the ground, colliding with Sarabi. The two of them rolled around for a moment before skidding to a halt, away from each other. They both sat up panting like a pair of mad dogs, and for a moment I thought the fighting was over. But it was not to be, for both of them turned and picked up where they had left off, having at each other once more.

Slashing, clawing, and biting at each other, the fight was becoming increasingly brutal as more slashes and seeping cuts made themselves known on each lioness's body. Every single urge I had told me to rush forward and help my mother, but my feet were kept stubbornly rooted to the spot. All I could do was helplessly watch.

Sarabi managed to get in a good swing to Zira's face and left her dazed. Sarabi saw the opportunity and took it, swinging at her face once more, claws unsheathed. Zira let out a bloodcurdling cry of pain and backed up, clutching her face with her paw, blood seeping rapidly down her face. Sarabi stared down at her paw, which was coated in dark red blood. I looked over from Sarabi to Zira, who had removed her paw and was glaring at Sarabi with malice the likes of which I had never seen. Zira's left eye was completely missing, with only a bloody hole to signify that something had once been there.

I thought that was the end of it. I thought that Zira would be in too much pain, be too exhausted, to even continue fighting. But I was wrong. Zira's determination knew no bounds. As steadily as ever, as if nothing had happened, Zira regained her stance and bolted towards Sarabi with the utmost loathing in her remaining eye. Sarabi braced herself, but Zira crashed into her at an incredible force, and now the tables were turned. Zira was pinning Sarabi to the ground, slashing at her madly. However Sarabi, being much less injured, was able to force Zira off of her with her hind legs. Swift as ever, Zira was back on her feet, fighting Sarabi with every ounce of strength she had left.

It was becoming clear that while Zira, in her determination, would not stop, Sarabi was growing more tired and weak with each passing second. I could tell that Sarabi knew this, because she began to move back, allowing Zira to advance forward. She was thinking quickly, trying to find some way to end the fighting.

Sarabi turned and bolted away from Zira towards the wall of the gorge.

_What is she doing? _I thought desperately. I jolted forward a few inches wanting to aid her, but held myself back.

Sarabi looked around desperately, and then here eyes locked on a rock that jutted out of the gorge about six feet above her. Quickly, she pounced up, latched on the rock, and pulled herself up. Then she pounced up to the next closest rock. Higher and higher she climbed, with Zira close behind. Each pounce she made, Zira would be one rock behind her, desperately swiping at her. But she missed every time. Soon enough, Sarabi was at the top of the gorge, and she was out of sight. Zira was only a moment behind her, and so too did she disappear from my vision.

Some more fighting was ensuing, and occasionally, a bloodstained paw or the hindquarters of one of the two lionesses would come into view only to disappear as quickly as it had appeared. Then Zira emerged at the edge of the gorge, her back to us. Sarabi quickly rushed forward and latched onto her neck with her teeth. With a resounding _r-r-riiiipp! _She tore out a large portion of Zira's neck. Zira screamed in utter agony as the blood flowed from her new wound. Her paws gave way below her and she fell to the ground, sprawled on her stomach.

Sarabi stared down at Zira for a moment, panting, the blood dripping from her teeth. Then she turned and began to walk out of sight.

It was over. Zira was finished.

An overwhelming joy came to me as my mother's victory had finally been realized. Finally, the tyrannical lioness that held so much contempt in my life was finished.

But my joy lasted only momentarily. My heart plummeted as Zira stirred. She weakly got to her paws, and sucked in as much air as she could muster. She let it all out with a roar that echoed through the gorge. Sarabi's hindquarters were still in sight. She stopped and slowly turned so that her face was visible. She stared bewilderedly at Zira, totally floored that Zira still had any fight left in her.

Sarabi closed her eyes, and suddenly a calm and relaxed look became apparent on her face. She opened her eyes, and a new fire burned in them. She sighed deeply.

And then she burst forward at Zira.

She wrapped her paws around Zira as she collided with her and together, the two lionesses burst out over the edge.

"NO!" I cried out through the silence.

They descended rapidly into the abyss that we all stood in.

Kamau shot forward towards the spot where Sarabi and Zira would land, desperate to save our mother. Tanabi raced forward and blocked him.

"Kamau, NO! You'll be crushed!" Tanabi yelled as he leapt in front and forced him back.

Tanabi's efforts were successful, but it was short-lasted as the two lionesses landed in our midst with a ground shaking _**BOOM**_. Like a swift fog, a massive uprising of dust sprang up from where they landed and moved towards and around us. For a few moments, coughing and spluttering was the only sound to be heard as we tried to see through the cloud.

As it began to settle, two distinct shapes swam out of the dust, and like a rocket, Kamau's form shot towards them, closely followed by Simba's. I sprinted after them, desperate to see if there was any chance…any chance at all.

The two forms became clearer as I moved closer and closer. I was now able to distinguish who was who. Zira lay sprawled on the ground in an unnatural position, her body broken beyond repair. Blood pooled around her, staining the dirt and dust around her. Her remaining eye was wide open in an unmoving demonic, but cold and blank stare.

Zira, the lioness who held so much contempt and loathing in not only my heart, but the heart of my Pride, was at long last, dead.

To the left of Zira's broken body, lay Sarabi, unmoving.

I stared into her eyes, which were partway open, unwilling to accept that for the second time in my life, my mother was gone. Tears sprang to my eyes and slowly fell down my face.

Simba, who stood next to me, stared into our mother's eyes, tears welling in his own as well. The pain on his face was unmistakable. He had seen both his mother _and_ father die of the exact same fate. He closed his eyes and turned away.

Kamau, who stood on the other side of me, suddenly broke the deafening silence.

"Simba! Wait!"

I looked back down at Sarabi and my mouth fell open.

Her chest rose and fell slowly and weakly. She was breathing.

"Mom…" I whispered in disbelief.

Her eyes, still half open, were glistening joyously. Feebly, she raised her head from the ground a mere centimeter. Yet despite the fact that she was battered, broken, and inches from death, she bore the biggest smile I had ever seen her wear.

"Mom…." Simba whispered. "You…you survived! But how? That fall should have killed you!"

Sarabi lifted her head a bit higher, and it was clear that it was a tremendous effort for her to do so. She shook violently and she winced at the slightest inclination of pain. Unmistakably, the fall had taken a toll on her physically.

"Yes Simba…so it seems indeed. But I'm afraid this victory will still come at a price."

Simba shook his head. "No! No it won't, Mom! I know you're injured, but the lionesses and I can still carry you back home! Rafiki will mend your wounds and you'll recover! I know you will!"

Part of me wanted to agree with Simba and continue to speak to Sarabi in such a manner. I did not want her to go at all. I did not want to believe that she was going to leave us. I wanted her to live on and see us begin to rule the Pride Lands free of worry now that both Scar and Zira were gone. Now, just when everything was going to get better, all I wanted was to ensure that Sarabi was one of those things.

But the state she was in…the pain that she was going through…the fall that she had only just survived…there was just no way.

Sarabi chuckled, wincing as another wave of pain shocked her. "Simba…you bear the same naivety your father once had."

Simba hung his head, tears falling from his eyes, staining the ground below. His desperation to ensure our mother's survival was so great and yet there was no way for his desires to become reality. The pain on his face as he accepted that hard truth made my own heart hurt even worse.

Sarabi wearily raised a paw to Simba's chin and lifted his head so that he was staring blearily into her own sparkling eyes.

"It's so refreshing," she said with a smile.

Simba took her paw into his own, and held it against his cheek. He clenched his teeth and shut his eyes painfully.

"Mother..." he whispered. "Don't leave me here. Don't leave me like Dad did."

Though the words came from Simba's mouth, they were embedded in my mind. They had been embedded there since the deaths of my family. Simba and I felt exactly the same. We both experienced the losses of our closest family, and the feelings of disbelief, grief, sorrow, and pain were so deeply etched into his face that it was impossible to mistake. He felt as I did.

Sarabi looked at him, almost in shock. "Simba…" she said in disbelief. "All this time since your father died, you've believed that he 'left' you? Don't you see? He never left!"

Simba said nothing.

Sarabi started again. "In body perhaps he is gone, but his spirit was forever forged into yours. You showed that in your victory over Scar. You showed it in the endless quest against Zira's tyranny. And…you showed it in the mercy you had for your brother."

Simba turned and looked at Kamau, who looked at his half-brother uneasily. He seemed unsure of what to make of the situation. Then Simba smiled weakly at Kamau, and Kamau returned it. The two brothers looked back down at our mother.

""Kamau…" Sarabi rasped looking at him. "I cannot tell you how truly, and deeply sorry I am for sending you away. I could have done something different. Maybe then Yetunde would not have died and you would not have suffered like this."

Kamau looked at her quizzically. "But Mother…you saved my life. Scar would surely have killed me otherwise. Don't trouble yourself like this…you aren't to blame."

Sarabi sighed painfully. "Kamau, understand that though your father was mad at the time of your birth, he was not always so. I loved him once….and I always did, even into his madness. Yet when he went mad, the lion I loved died. Your father died long before you were born, Kamau. Scar was not your father. Taka was."

Kamau nodded his head as tears welled in his eyes.

Then, Sarabi's eyes turned and fixated on my own.

"Ayden…" she said feebly, her eyes pouring into my own. I fought back the tears as best as I could.

"Words cannot begin to express the deeply rooted happiness and love I feel for you. From the moment you were brought into our lives, I always knew that you would reach incredible heights. I always knew that you were more than you seem. Our time spent together has more than shown me that. You are an incredible, loving, wonderful individual with the biggest heart I have ever seen. And though we met so much later in our lives, even though our time together was not as long as we would have liked it to be, even though we are from two different worlds, and even though we are…well…_were_ different species, I believe with every fiber of my being…that you are, and always will be, my son."

I was so lost in my mother's words that I barely noticed that I had stopped fighting the tears, which were now flowing freely down my face. Only when I paid the slightest attention to notice that, I noticed that I was also smiling.

Sarabi smiled. "My sons…." she whispered. "My time is short. Perhaps you will not see me, but I will always be here to guide you. I go now to my father, the Great Kings, and my beloved Mufasa…in whose noble and regal company I will stand watching you. My sons, do not weep for what you have lost. Because in truth, nothing is lost, only gained. Look now to the future, and to your children, and to their children. For it is them that should be the cause of your tears, not those who came before you."

Simba still held his mother's paw tightly. "I love you Mom…."

With her paw, Sarabi stroked Simba's mane. "I love you too Simba….my King."

Kamau placed his paw below her head and licked her forehead. I stepped forward, leaned down, and nuzzled her face as gently as possible so as not to cause her pain. Sarabi let out one quiet purr as her three sons said their goodbyes.

And then, her chest rose and fell one final time. Her eyes closed slowly, a smile still beautifully frozen on her face. Her head, which was still risen a few inches up, softly fell to the ground.

And with that, Sarabi, daughter of Johari and Chaka, mate of King Mufasa, mother of King Simba, Prince Kamau, and myself, and 4th Queen of the Pride Lands, ascended to the land of Aiehu and the Great Kings to spend eternity with her mate and lover, King Mufasa.

What followed was, if at all possible, the most miserable moments of my life. Even the deaths of my human family were not quite as miserable as this. The tears fell and flowed freely, pooling in the ground below. Like a tsunami crashing onto a beach, the emotion overwhelmed me and I fell to the ground, unable to stand.

I barely noticed due to my own misery, but around the three of us encircled the entire Pride. Sobs and crying ensued in the gorge. Every now and then, flashes of what was happening around me became clear before blurring out, replaced with my own misery. Timon and Pumbaa had shown up to pay their respects to the fallen queen. Zazu wept into Nala's arm as his final living tie to his old friend was gone. Rafiki stood, staff in hand, his head hung low, eyes shut. A single tear slowly fell down his face.

I am unsure how long the mourning lasted. All I know is that for quite some time, we sat there in our misery and sorrow, mourning the loss of the final member of King Mufasa's generation.

Finally, when I was able to stand, I backed a few feet away from Sarabi's body. Simba and Kamau followed suit when they were able to regain themselves. Rafiki stepped forward and blessed Sarabi's body with a gourd. Then he shook his staff in a rhythmic fashion, to the beat of a funeral hymn.

From beside me, Simba, his voice cracked and dusty, began to mournfully sing to the beat.

"Fatshe…leso….lea…hallalela…."

Though I had heard it once before, I remembered well the lullaby that Sarabi had sung to Tanabi so many years ago. Together, Kamau and I joined in quietly with Simba. Slowly, the Prides surrounding us followed suit.

_Fatshe, leso, lea hallalela…_

_And where the journey may lead you_

_Let this prayer be your guide_

_Though it may take you so far away_

_Always remember your pride…_

The chant was repeated throughout the Prides several times until we at last fell silent.

A breeze picked up around us, gently blowing through my new mane, and for some reason…it made me smile. I looked over at Simba, and he too smiled.

Mother was where she belonged now. She was with Mufasa; her mate. She was with her friends, Sarafina, Kito, Yetunde, Ayana, Kala, and Sekou. And she was now reunited with the lion who she loved so much before madness changed him; Taka. And yet, she was still here with us. This simple fact made my brother and I smile.

A voice then rang out in the gorge.

"Let this be a lesson to us all!" came Kamau's loud call. "That violence will not bring victory to anyone, despite what it may seem. Victory is failure because victory comes at a price. Look what it has done to us!"

All eyes stared around the gorge at the blood and gore, the death and pain, the broken bodies and the damaged rubble. My eyes rested on Nuka's fallen figure.

"Who do you think 'won' this battle?" Kamau asked looking about the carnage.

Simba and I both stared in awe at Kamau. Such a power and commanding rang in his voice that neither of us had heard before.

True wisdom is hard to come across, but when you do, it is truly something. Kamau's words captivated not only Simba's and my own attention, but the attention of every creature within earshot in that gorge.

"Know that what happened today did not result in a victory or closure to a feud, but in the death of those noble and respected in this life! This war has not helped us, it has only separated us more! My mother only ever wanted peace! Even the wisest of you all can't live up to the wish of an old lioness! The strongest lion does not resort to violence, but strives to bring peace to those afflicted with the thirst for blood."

Again there was silence. Kamau's words were awe-inspiring, and in fact, they were downright uplifting. It was impossible for me to feel the power of the words that he was speaking. I smiled over at Kamau, turned from him and faced the crowd.

"Let us end the fighting now," I said stepping forward. "Let us band together as a single Pride. As one."

Simba, smiling, stepped forward between the two of us and spoke out.

"Hear my brother's words!" Simba yelled loudly. "What we have destroyed in the fighting we can rebuild! United as one, we will change the paths set by those before us! Let us join together and build the great future prophesized by our ancestors!"

An intense wave of nodding and cheering followed Simba's words, and it uplifted my spirits even higher. The smile on Simba's, Kamau's, and my face grew as the prides before us became one, united in their strive for peace, serenity, and the greater good.

I looked into the sky. The moon still sat dead center, illuminating the Pride Lands in its shimmering blue-white glow. A new sense of hope radiated through me as my gaze was drawn from the moon to the constellation Leo.

Vividly remembering my experience at Astra de Leo in Heaven, I beamed as each individual star of each King of the Past burned brightly in the mysterious night sky. I closed my eyes and let the newfound sensation of hope overcame me.

The prophecy had come to pass, just as Aiehu had said it would.

I looked over at Simba, pure joy radiating from him. He smiled at me and winked. Then he stared up into the night sky and I followed suit. As if our minds were connected, Simba and I spoke silently into the night.

"This one's for you, Mother."

Taking a great intake of breath, my King and I released an immense roar that rumbled and echoed off the walls of the Gorge, bouncing out into the skies and soaring to the heavens. Following our example, Kamau and the rest of the Pride roared as well, signifying to the Pride Lands that the battle was ended, and peace would once again prevail over all.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Most of the Pride had gone up the Gorge and back home to Pride Rock. It had been a very long and tiring night, and rest was well deserved. Only our family stayed behind to clear up whatever we could of the mess that was left behind. Rafiki stayed with us so that he could bless the remaining dead.

While the rest of the lions wandered through the Gorge cleaning up whatever they could, I sat silently next to Nuka's body.

Even through all the joy that had followed Sarabi's ascension into the realm of the Kings of the Past, Nuka's passing was not easy for me. Sarabi and I had seen so much good come from Nuka. Despite his parentage, past treatment, and standoffish ways, Nuka had a good heart and a good soul.

I sighed deeply as I stared into his sleeping face. A single tear fell down my face as I stared.

For one brief moment, I could have sworn I saw his eye that was not swollen twitch. I shook my head disbelievingly, unsure if what I had seen was real or not.

_No…he's dead…you saw what Kamau did to him…nobody could survive that beating…_

His eye twitched again.

Only now did I notice that Nuka's chest, even at a miniscule pace, was rising and falling.

_It CAN'T be!!!!_

"RAFIKI!!!" I cried out as loud as I could. "RAFIKI!!! COME QUICKLY!"

Nuka, the unloved son of Scar and Zira, the battered and beaten cub who I cared for so much, and the final living remnants of what Sarabi's love could really do in the faces of evil, was _alive_.

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**THE END.**

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**you think i'm joking? **

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**Nope. There is an epilogue coming (in fact, its already written. I just need to edit it and send it through my betas), but other than that, A Lion of a Man is done. You want more answers? Heart of Man should be out mid-July AT THE LATEST. Answers will be made clear then. ^_^**

**I wanna apologize also for those of you who are die-hard Sarabi fans... :(** **I really am sorry, but i had to stay true to Amase's The Diamond Star Chronicles.  
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**Copyrights in this chapter:**

**The lyrics to "Shadowland" are from Disney's "The Lion King on Broadway", and i have no prior permission to use them. But then this entire story is plagiristic of The Lion King...so all i can say is PLEASE DON'T SUE ME!!!! lol.**

**Wait for the epilogue, and then Heart of Man is JUST around the corner!**

**Please review!**


	18. Epilogue: A Misunderstanding

**Alrighty guys....I'm BACK!!!! Lol, for those of you who didn't know, i just spent the last three days in Vallejo, CA and Sonoma CA for three days of Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and the Save Mart Toyota 350 NASCAR Race at Infineon Raceway. TOTAL relaxing blast, and it was needed! **

**ONTO THE STORY!!!**

**NOW it's the end...this is the last chapter to A Lion of a Man (As you can tell, its actually an epilogue...but oh well. FF doesn't have an epilogue option.) So enjoy, and keep an eye out for the Heart of Man! The best way to do that is to subscribe to my author page! then you'll get an update when i post it up! Have fun and thanks for reading!  
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**Epilogue – A Misunderstanding**

**----Leona----**

My eyes wearily eased open, but instantly clamped shut. Intense sunlight was streaming onto my face, temporarily blinding me. I turned away quickly and raised my paw to block out the sun's bright rays. The moment I moved, an overwhelming sense of dizziness and disorientation overcame me. Feeling slightly queasy, I closed my eyes tighter, willing the dizziness to stop. A few moments passed, and it settled enough to where I could think straight. Dazed and confused, I slowly moved to get up. The dizziness struck again, and I was unwillingly forced to lie back down.

_They tranquilized me again…_

I racked my memories, trying to remember why I was here, lying dazed and confused, tranquilized once again. Finally, after a few moments of searching and sifting through my continually swaying and spinning mind, my thoughts landed on the memory I was searching for. Vague as it was, I still saw it fairly clear…

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

It was feeding time at the reservation. The strange high pitched ringing called out, letting me know that the time to eat was now. Bidding goodbye to the few friends I had on the reservation, I happily rushed to my enclosure for the evening's meal. It had been a fairly relaxing and fun day, but the best part of it was still yet to come; the time I would get to spend with my Claire.

When I got there however, I could tell something was different.

The enclosure door was wide open like it always was, but Claire wasn't there. Usually, my Claire always stood by the door, eagerly waiting for me to come to her. And I was always excited to see her as well. I loved my Claire. She was the only mother I knew. True, she was human, but I never got the chance to meet my real mother. So to me, Claire _was_ my mother. She had raised me ever since I was a little cub. When I grew too big to stay in her big home across the waters, she and I came to live on this reservation. Claire and I loved each other unconditionally.

However, she wasn't there today.

There was nobody at all.

It was eerily quiet.

Warily, I walked forward towards the enclosure. Maybe Claire was playing a game or something…maybe she'd come out and surprise me. She had done that on several occasions.

A twig snapped behind me, and I froze on the spot. A smile curled my lips. So she _was_ trying to surprise me.

I whirled around, growling playfully, and my eyes rested on a human. Not my Claire though. It was one of the dark skinned males, Abasi, who worked at the reservation. In his hands, he held a bucket full of meat, and in the other, the lock to the enclosure.

My playful growling turned deadly. I crouched low, unsheathing my claws, staring at Abasi with utmost anger.

"Where is my Claire?" I growled. Abasi jumped, startled, when I did so, but he made no inclination to answer me. No human ever did whenever I spoke, but it never hurt to try. Especially now of all times, when my Claire was missing. Abasi was here in her place, so he _must_ have known where she was.

…and I was going to make him tell me, one way or another.

"Where _is_ she?!" I roared at him again.

Abasi began to speak. Three years living with humans on the reservation had taught me some of their dialect, but I wasn't fluent. Still, for the most part, I could catch what he was saying.

"Now, now Leona, you want food? ….cage…not…difficult." He said. As he spoke, he placed the bucket of my food down and reached for exploding stick in his belt. Those sticks never meant any good for me when they were brought out.

I reacted quickly. In a flash, I was on top of him, digging my claws into his flesh. Fire burned in my soul, and only one factor was driving me; finding the whereabouts of my Claire was at any cost.

Abasi screamed in terror, the exploding stick waving in his hand. I growled and swiped at his hand. Mere seconds before I swiped it out, he managed to make it explode twice. The noise rang in my ears, but I didn't care. Only one thing mattered now.

"WHERE IS SHE?!?!" I roared angrily. "WHERE IS CLAIRE?!?!"

"LEONA!" a voice cried out. "STOP!!!"

I turned and growled at the source of the voice, and suddenly froze.

Claire stood by my enclosure, a long exploding stick in her hands…pointed directly at me.

The stick exploded, and I felt a small prick on my hindquarters. The reaction was instant. All at once, my head felt woozy and my movements became sluggish. I looked dizzily over where I felt the prick, and saw a small cluster of red feathers protruding from my hide.

The dizziness overcame me, and I fell into blackness.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Sighing, I opened my eyes up and allowed them to get used to the light. The memory continuously replayed in my mind in my temporary blindness. Though what had occurred was disturbing enough, I was completely unsure and slightly fearful of what was to come. I had been tranquilized several times before then, but _never _had it been done by Claire. Something was wrong…

When I could finally see, a strange sight swam into view and it only propelled my confusion further. A flatbed truck sat several feet in front of me. Surrounding me were five humans. Claire was squatted down next to me, looking into my eyes. Deep and unmistakable sadness was reflected in hers.

"Oh Leona…" she whispered. "I'm so sorry…"

"Claire…" I said.

A tear fell down Claire's face. Something was different. I had been tranquilized before, but I had always just been confined to my enclosure for a few days following those events. _Never_ had I woken up surrounded by humans before. Never had Claire looked at me with such sadness in those eyes.

One of the humans bent down and spoke to Claire.

"We can't stay..." She said. "The tranquilizer…wear off…minutes. We have to leave."

Claire, tears streaming down her face, nodded. She knelt down to me and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Claire…" I whispered again, feeling utterly confused.

_What is happening? Why is Claire so sad?_

Claire finally let go, and stood up, wiping the tears from her eyes. Slowly, she turned her back and walked to the truck alone. She opened the door, gave one last devastatingly miserable look at me, then climbed in and slammed the door shut.

"Claire!" I managed to moan out.

The four humans who had come with Claire moved away from me and one by one, filed back into the truck.

_No…Claire!_

Every muscle in my body was trying so hard to move…I was forcing myself to get up, despite being completely dazed. My head spun faster and faster with each movement, but it wasn't enough to inhibit me. Claire was leaving without me. I couldn't let that happen!

The truck began to speed off, leaving a trail of dust in its wake.

I was on my feet, and slowly, I started walking towards the truck, furious at myself that I could not move faster.

"Claire!" I called out in desperation.

The truck moved further and further away, growing smaller and smaller. As it sped up, a square piece of paper flew out the window and landed lightly on the ground in the dust.

Having not worn off yet, the tranquilizer was still acting in my system, and it forced me to fall to my feet.

With nothing left but my confusion and misery, I lay on the ground, weeping. A horrible truth became present.

Claire was gone.

I was alone.

I did not know why.

All I knew was that now, my life had turned from wonderful and carefree, to miserable and alone.


End file.
